Four Asheville Police Officers Injured By Explosive In Targeted Attack
Four Asheville police officers were injured after an explosive was thrown at them.
Asheville Police Officers Injured By Explosive
Asheville, NC – Four Asheville police officers were deliberately targeted and injured by some type of explosive device that was thrown at them, according to WLOS.
The incident occurred about 9:45 PM on Saturday, June 10 at Livingston Apartments. The four Housing Unit officers, who were not identified, were on routine foot patrol ‘checking around some buildings’ when they noticed sudden movement.
A blast near their heads followed ‘almost immediately.’ The officers took a ‘defensive stance’, called for back-up, and waited for EMS to respond.
All of the officers believe it was one suspect who ‘intentionally attacked them.” Asheville Police Sergeant Brien Griffin, who is in charge of the APD’s Housing Unit, said, “It was real dark, and all they saw was a quick silhouette over near the bushes and then it disappeared.”
“So, they were not able to get any identification. But there definitely was someone in the area.” He also said that the explosion was a ‘shock’, and caused “… confusion and disorientation. They weren’t sure at first if they might’ve been gunshots. Two of them said they drew their guns.”
The four officers were treated at a local hospital, and had to have shrapnel removed from their skin. Sergeant Griffin said, “Due to the shrapnel that came from the device, there is some in them. So, they’re doing some medical followups on that and some scans, and then they’ll figure out, medically, what they need to do to remove those, or if they’re going to remove those.”
No information is known about the suspect. Officers have been canvassing the neighborhood, and the APD is asking the public for assistance in locating the suspect.
Sergeant Griffin said that the patrols would not stop, “no matter what.” He said, “This is concerning, however it will not deter us from continuing that foot patrol in that community policing.”
Anybody who has information on the attack is asked to call Asheville Police Department at (828) 252-1110 or Buncombe County Crime Stoppers at (828) 255-5050.
