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Mass Casualty Incidents

Woman Killed, Child Grazed in Asheville Shooting; Suspect Dead of Self-Inflicted Injury, Police Say

Asheville police say the shooting happened Wednesday night, April 18, in the home where a 32-year-old woman and her five children lived; the investigation remains open.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Apr 19, 2018, 9:53 a.m. ETWritten Aug 10, 2026, 10:28 p.m. ET

More on this incident

A woman was killed and a 10-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet in a shooting on the night of Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at the , , home where the woman and her five children lived, police said. The Police Department is the responding agency, and the case is developing. identified the woman who was killed as Erica Nichelle Smith, 32. Police said that at around 10:30 p.m. a 10-year-old boy who had been grazed by a bullet called 911 to say his mother had been killed. Police have not released the identities of the other people in the home, and this account is limited to what officials have stated so far. Hooper said the shooting followed an argument earlier that evening at the hospital where the man's girlfriend worked. Police named the suspect as , and said he is , of a injury. Hooper said that on April 5, Erica Nichelle Smith reported that the man had taken a car, and that police determined there was no crime because the vehicle was registered to him. "Any death in our community, especially one involving violence on this scale, has far-reaching traumatic impacts, particularly when they involve children," Hooper said. Police figures were given as of Thursday, April 19, and casualty information in cases like this is often revised. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day: call or text 988.

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Revision history

  1. Version 111 Aug 2026, 02:28current

    First published.

  2. Version 111 Aug 2026, 02:33current

    First published.

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