U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson pulled local and federal players into the same room in Asheville on Friday, bringing together law enforcement, housing officials and community leaders to talk through what authorities are calling a troubling spike in violent crime. The closed-door meeting focused on how to line up enforcement and prevention so agencies are not working in silos.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson convened a meeting with several federal law enforcement agencies and @AshevillePolice, @BuncombeSheriff, community leaders, and public housing representatives to discuss violent crime in #Asheville. "The recent spike in violent crime in Asheville is troubling, but everyone in the room is committed to working together to solve the problem."
— U.S. Attorney WDNC (@USAO_WDNC) May 1, 2026
In a post from U.S. Attorney WDNC, Ferguson called the trend “troubling” and said, “The recent spike in violent crime in Asheville is troubling, but everyone in the room is committed to working together to solve the problem.” The post noted that several federal agencies joined local partners at the session.
Who Was In The Room
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, the discussion table included the Asheville Police Department, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, community leaders and representatives from public housing, along with multiple federal law enforcement partners. Ferguson serves as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, per the U.S. Attorney's Office. Since he took the job, the office has identified violent crime work as a priority, with an emphasis on teaming up with local police and federal partners.
Why They Met
Local officials have warned that shootings are up this spring and say they are responding with urgency, as reported by WBTV. Coverage by WYFF and Fox Carolina detailed a March 8 downtown shooting that left several people hit by gunfire or fragments and led to later arrests, a case federal and local partners now cite as an example of why tighter coordination is needed.
Federal Role And What Comes Next
Ferguson’s office has already been active in organizing multi-agency operations in western North Carolina. Last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced federal indictments in Asheville under an initiative aimed at gun- and drug-related violent crime, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Friday’s meeting, the office said, ended with a commitment to practical next steps, including more intelligence-sharing and efforts to align enforcement with public housing and community-based prevention work.
Officials did not roll out any new charges or enforcement timelines on Friday. For now, they are promising to keep working together as ongoing investigations proceed, with more specifics expected as federal and local teams coordinate what happens next.
