Exclusive: Blue Ridge Parkway Shooting Sparks Fear in Campers

On May 31, 2024

TL/DR –

A 19-year-old man was critically injured in a shooting on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Federal Park Service system stated that this was a targeted crime and the public is not in danger, but they are not releasing any other information about the incident. The local community is concerned about their safety and feel the agency should be more transparent with the facts.

Shooting on the Blue Ridge Parkway: Authorities Tight-lipped on Details

One day after a 19-year-old man was critically injured in a shooting on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Federal Park Service’s Asheville spokesperson stated that investigators aren’t releasing more details, including potential leads on a suspect.

Both the Parks Service and Buncombe County sheriff’s deputies responded to the incident near mile marker 399 on Thursday, May 30. However, neither agency would elaborate beyond labeling the crime as a “targeted” shooting and stating the public wasn’t at risk.

A witness provided photos of the crime scene located miles up from the Arboretum and one-tenth of a mile from Pine Mountain Tunnel on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Details on the Blue Ridge Parkway shooting incident here.

The anonymous witness mentioned seeing a pile of clothes marked as evidence at the scene and a tan SUV parked near mile marker 399, the investigation’s focal point.

Local biker Kevin Conrecode voiced his shock at the violence, expressing disappointment that such an incident could occur in what many perceive as a serene environment. “People think the parkway would be free of crime – that’s a false idea,” Conrecode said.

Campground visitor Cheryl Brannan expressed concern over the incident, stating that the official’s assurance of public safety due to the shooting being targeted brought her no comfort. “I might be the next ‘target’. Anyone might be,” Brannan stated.

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