Asheville -- July 11, 2026: An attempted armed robbery and kidnapping at a downtown Asheville business was quickly thwarted on Thursday, July 9, thanks to the courageous intervention of a victim's brother and a bystander. Their swift actions helped secure the victim and contributed significantly to the eventual capture of the suspect by Asheville Police.
Around 5:03 p.m., Asheville Police officers responded to a report of a robbery in progress at a business on Broadway Street. Before officers arrived, they learned that an employee had been assaulted. Security footage and police reports indicate the suspect entered the store, changed the signage to "closed," and locked the door. He then forced a female employee to the rear of the business, assaulted her, and tied her up.
It was at this critical moment that the victim’s brother and a bystander intervened. They kicked open the front door of the business and chased the suspect through the rear door. After a brief struggle, the suspect dropped most of the items he had taken from the store and fled on foot. This direct intervention ended the immediate confinement of the victim, disrupted the robbery, and limited the amount of property stolen, an act highlighted by police and local outlets as an example of community heroism.
Following the suspect's escape, witnesses provided officers with a description. Police then learned a delivery truck had been stolen nearby. Equipped with cameras and GPS, the truck was quickly located on Mountain Street after a collision with the assistance of its owner. Officers and detectives, guided by witnesses, searched the area and found the suspect, identified as Harold D. Rogers Jr., 60, hiding in a nearby apartment complex, where he surrendered without further incident.
Arrested:
Harold D Rogers Jr. (06/10/1966)
(F) First Degree Kidnapping
(F) Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon
(M) Assault on a Female
Rogers was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under NO BOND (ineligible for release) by a magistrate.
The investigation continues with more charges anticipated. If you have any information about this incident, please contact APD at (828) 252-1110. You can also send an anonymous tip using the TIP2APD smartphone application (search “Asheville PD” in your app store) or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.
The Asheville Police Department issued a public statement thanking "the many community members who provided timely and valuable information" that aided in locating and arresting Rogers. APD emphasized both the direct actions of the victim’s brother and the bystander, and the cooperation of witnesses and the delivery truck owner, whose information and technology allowed officers to quickly track the suspect. The investigation continues, with additional charges anticipated.