ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A West Asheville man has been charged with multiple crimes, including attempted murder, after firing shots at Buncombe County deputies responding to a wellness check on October 3, 2024, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Deputies arrived at a residence on Pisgah View Road for a wellness check when they were fired upon, with approximately four shots directed at them. The deputies took cover until the Buncombe County Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiators arrived to secure the scene. After a brief negotiation, the suspect, identified as 64-year-old Douglas Bruce Wells, surrendered without further incident.
Wells has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault on a government official, and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. He is currently being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility.
The investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.