Asheville Police Department leaders told the Public Safety Committee on July 31 that violent crime is down year to date but that recent shooting incidents and a rise in some property crimes remain concerns.

Chief Mike Lam said the department’s year-to-date violent crime total represents a 37% reduction compared with the same period in 2024. He attributed improvements to proactive policing and community engagement. Lam also said property crime increased about 4 percent year to date, driven largely by more larcenies and motor-vehicle burglaries.

Chief Lam and staff pointed to geographic variation: the largest reductions in violent crime were in the Baker District (South and East Asheville), West Asheville (a 42% reduction, 29 fewer violent crimes) and the Charlie District (downtown, 20 fewer violent crimes, 40% reduction). Property crimes jumped in one commercial area APD labeled “ADAM” (from 40 to 101 incidents, a 153% increase), which the department said reflected increased reporting from retail businesses rather than a sudden spike in unreported crimes.

Lam noted a spike in gun‑violence victim counts in June 2024, with 20 victims that month, followed by 15 victims in June 2025 and seven in July 2025 to date. He told the committee that last week the city recorded four separate shooting incidents across four days, including a shooting at a Parks & Recreation facility where two young men were injured while playing basketball. Lam described evidence in those incidents as indicating retaliatory, gang-related violence involving juveniles.

The department described its response: a gun‑violence task force and a crime‑analysis unit that coordinate with federal and state partners, including the FBI, ATF, the State Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office. Lam thanked Sheriff Miller and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for lending personnel to assist APD, saying gun‑crime investigations often cross city–county lines. Lam said community tips enabled officers to prevent an anticipated retaliatory shooting in a neighborhood last week.

Council Member Shanika Smith asked about the role and tactics of violence interrupters; Lam said APD works with local groups — the Buncombe County Violence Prevention Project/Peace Team, the SPARK Foundation and others — to keep youth out of violent conflicts by building relationships and supporting conflict-resolution approaches. Lam emphasized the need for community information sharing to prevent violence.

Committee members had no formal action on the crime statistics; the presentation was informational. Staff reiterated routine safety advice for residents (lock and hide valuables in vehicles) and encouraged residents to report tips that can help prevent violence.