Asheville police: Person of interest identified in shooting that killed 2, injured 7

Asheville city leaders held a community briefing Friday following a deadly shooting downtown that killed two people and wounded seven others.

Although no suspect is in custody, Asheville police now say they have several people of interest they're actively speaking with.

Interim police chief Jackie Stepp also shared new details about what detectives believe sparked this violence.

Investigators now believe the shooting was retaliation for a July 5 shooting at Maple Crest Apartments, where one person was injured. Police said an arrest has already been made in that earlier case.

Police also confirmed a glock switch was used and recovered in connection to the July 19 shooting. A glock switch is an illegal device that can convert a handgun into a rapid-fire weapon.

Stepp would not say whether the violence was gang-related but said it involved two groups of people who knew each other.

When asked whether the community should be concerned about additional retaliation, Stepp said:

"Asheville PD is putting safety measures in place as we speak and as we gather the evidence and analyze the evidence to try to prevent future gun violence, particularly related to this specific event, but what I would say is we remain committed around the clock ... we will find those responsible for this and hold them fully accountable, and we will not stop until we do."

Stepp would not say what those additional safety measures are, citing the ongoing investigation. She did say officers are working around the clock to identify and arrest those responsible.