ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Four people, including two teenagers, are dead following a murder suicide in Asheville Wednesday night.
Reports indicate a 10-year-old boy called police at 10:30 Wednesday night and told them that his mother’s boyfriend had opened fire inside the family’s home.
Asheville police say the shooter, 35-year-old Maurice Garner, and 32-year-old Erica Smith got into an argument at Smith’s place of employment, Mission Hospital, sometime before the shooting.
According to Chief Tammy Hooper, “The Asheville Police Department received a 911 call from a juvenile at 73 Hansel Avenue who reported that Maurice Garner had shot and killed his mother, Erica Smith, and had also shot other family members who were brothers and sisters of his and that he also was injured.”
Hooper continued, “Erica Smith was located in the home, she was deceased upon our arrival. There were 6 remaining individuals who were injured, five of them were her children. Two were a 15-year-old male who had received gunshot wounds and later succumbed those injuries at the hospital. One was a 13-year-old female who also succumbed to her wounds on her way to the hospital. The three additional children were transported. One, a 12-year-old sustained a gunshot wound to the leg. He is currently listed in stable condition. And two additional victims, a 10-year-old and 8-year-old, sustained graze wounds and were treated for those injuries and are currently receiving services through the Mountain Children Advocacy Center.”
Garner was located in his vehicle not far from the residence, suffering from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head. He was transported to Mission Hospital where he later died.
Police say Garner did not have a criminal history and the case is still under investigation.
