Hot Springs police confirm weekend stabbing at festival

Hot Springs Police Chief David Shelton confirms that a stabbing took place Saturday, Sept. 27, at the French Broad Brew Fest during an altercation, that a suspect was arrested and that the victim is at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

Witnesses tell Xpress that one individual was stabbed in the groin and the suspect was held by “6-8 men … until police arrived.” The victim, who had intervened in an altercation, was airlifted by MAMA to Mission Hospital.

Chief Shelton noted that the knife — a 4 or 4 1/2-inch folding blade — didn’t cut the victim’s femoral artery but, nonetheless, the injury resulted in substantial blood loss.

Event organizers praised the response of the festival’s medical and security teams, as well as others who helped restrain the suspect until police arrived. In nearly 20 years of festivals, says co-organizer Matt Kern, “we’ve never had anything like this [happen]. It was extremely unusual.” He says that two festival goers intervened to hold the suspect until security arrived.

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About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

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5 thoughts on “Hot Springs police confirm weekend stabbing at festival

  1. Leia

    I was in the campground when the man was tackled. Thanks to all the men for restraining the accused and keeping folks calm.

    • Rasa

      Thank you to the 2 men who tackled him and the ONE man who held him. Festival medical and security should not be praised. First aid tent didn’t even know CPR and the security guy couldn’t even put handcuffs on perp due to uncontrollable shaking…get it together if you are planning to control a situation, crisis team! Thank you first aid woman for controlling the victim’s bleeding.

      • M.H.

        Rasa,

        I would be very interested in speaking with you about what you remember. Please contact if you’d like to talk.

  2. Jason

    The actions of one man will not break the spirit of hundreds who came out to enjoy each others company, great music and outstanding beer. We will be back next year with a continued spirit of love and community. Thank you Matt for putting on such a great Fall Festival and I hope even more will come out for the next event in the Spring. Thank you again.

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