Asheville Sees Crime Numbers Go Down

Asheville is seeing fewer violent crimes this year. The city has reported a 28% drop in violent crimes compared to last year. This is the lowest number in five years. The biggest reason for this drop is fewer aggravated assaults. The city had a big spike in violent crimes in 2022. That year, there were 642 violent crimes reported by early November. The next two years saw fewer crimes, with 530 in 2023 and 519 in 2024. So far in 2025, there have been 371 violent crimes reported. Homicides have also gone down. There were 12 homicides in 2022, nine in 2023, and 13 in 2024. This year, there have been five homicides so far. The drop in violent crime is happening in all three police districts. But some areas, like East Asheville near the VA Medical Center and the north end of downtown, have seen a slight increase in crime. Police Chief Mike Lamb says the drop in crime is due to four things: proactive policing, gun crime investigations, collaboration with other agencies, and community engagement. Officers have spent 1, 800 more hours on self-initiated calls for service compared to last year. These calls include crime prevention, traffic stops, checking businesses, suspicious persons, and foot patrol. Lamb also pointed out that when there are more officers on the streets, there is more community engagement. This leads to a decrease in violent crime. Officers spend the most time on proactive efforts in areas where crimes are most often reported. Downtown, North Asheville, and West Asheville have seen the most proactive hours. While violent crime has gone down, property crime has slightly increased. This is due to more unsecured motor vehicle burglaries and larcenies. The biggest jump in property crime was in South Asheville near Airport Road, with a 151% increase in the third quarter alone.