Asheville Pastor Claims City Overlooked 10-Year Gang-Prevention Effort

An Asheville pastor says city leaders ignored his decade-long push to launch a youth gang-prevention program first pitched in 2016, arguing early intervention and mentorship could steer at‑risk youth away from gangs amid rising violence; he promotes a Gang Free–style model pairing educators, mentors and local businesses with opportunities, while noting officials have not publicly reviewed the plan as 2024 violence data shows Asheville’s violent crime remains elevated compared with 2016.