Asheville Police Department, North Carolina
End of Watch: Sunday, April 16, 1972
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 16, 1972
Weapon Used: Rifle; .22 caliber
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Police Officer Alfred Baird was shot and killed while on foot patrol on Eagle Street in downtown Asheville.
A man walked up and shot him and another man he was talking to without provocation. Officer Baird was killed instantly. The suspect was apprehended a short time later. The man Officer Baird was talking to died from his wounds two weeks later.
The suspect was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to two terms of 12.5 years to life in prison. He died in prison on January 6th, 1980.
Officer Baird had served with the Asheville Police Department for eight years.