BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Buncombe County is tied for the highest number of officer-involved shootings in North Carolina this year, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
The latest shooting in the area happened on Wednesday, July 15, outside Shakey’s bar in downtown Asheville, marking the county’s third officer-involved shooting in the past four months.
According to the NCSBI, Buncombe County and Guilford County have each recorded three officer-involved shootings in 2026, the most of any county in the state. Statewide, the NCSBI has investigated 28 officer-involved shootings so far this year.
By comparison, Mecklenburg and Wake counties have recorded no officer-involved shootings in 2026, according to NCSBI data…