Police Officer Alfred Baird

Alfred Baird

Officer Baird was shot and killed while on foot patrol 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 6, 1980.

Officer Baird had been with the agency for eight years and was the first black officer with his agency to be killed in the line of duty.