http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060516/NEWS01/60515054&SearchID=73244824519353 by Clarke Morrison, CMORRISON@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM published May 16, 2006 12:15 am Reader Feedback: Read 13 comments | Comment on this article | Register here ASHEVILLE — Police don’t know whether a confrontation between whites and Hispanics at a West Asheville restaurant over the weekend that culminated in a shot being fired was sparked by the national debate over immigration.
No arrests were made in the 3 a.m. Saturday incident at the Waffle House on Smoky Park Highway, and the investigation is continuing, said Capt. Sarah Benson of the Asheville Police Department.
Multimedia The first 911 call was made around 3:07 a.m. following the shooting at the Waffle House on Smokey Park Highway. (488 KB) One person was shot at the Waffle House on Smokey Park Hwy on Saturday night. The injured person was disoriented and listed the wrong location when he called 911 at 3:07 a.m. (Warning: This audio contains language that may be offensive.) (456 KB) A final call was made at 3:10 a.m. following the shooting at the Waffle House on Smokey Park Hwy. Saturday morning. (282 KB) Advertisement But some believe the current immigration debate is fueling tensions between Hispanics and others.
The National Council of La Raza issued a statement Friday asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the recent beating and sexual assault of a 16-year-old Hispanic boy near Houston as a possible hate crime, and last week the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that an anti-immigration activist had urged a neo-Nazi group to harass, rob and beat illegal immigrants.
And the Anti-Defamation League issued a report on what it said is a growing number of assaults on legal and illegal immigrants.
“This report reminds us that there is a direct connection between the national policy debate and the atmosphere surrounding the daily lives of immigrants,” said the league’s national director, Abraham Foxman. “The rhetoric we are seeing about Hispanics is downright scary.
“While these sentiments are often relegated to the private chat rooms, blogs and message boards maintained by hate groups, it only takes one individual with hate in his heart to act on these notions. For us, that’s a real concern as the national discussion on immigration continues to gain momentum.”
Edna Campos, organizer of the recent We Are One America immigration-rights rally in Asheville, said the immigration debate is raising tensions here.
“There is an increase in this area of people being polarized,” she said. “Fear mongers are saying, ‘These criminals are taking our jobs. They are terrorists.’ That’s all raising people’s fear. People want to stir things up. They want people to be polarized.”
In Saturday’s incident, a gunshot from a vehicle leaving the Waffle House shattered a window and caused a minor injury following an argument between whites and Hispanics inside, police said.
“The two groups were jawing back and forth with each other over citizenship issues and whatnot,” Lt. Wallace Welch said.
According to a police report, the shooting suspect was seated at a table with another Hispanic man and two white women. Whites at two other tables made comments “in reference to the suspect being Hispanic,” Benson said.
“The suspect stood up to leave, and the victim, who was seated at one of the tables, saw a gun in his waistband,” she said. “He followed the suspect outside the building, and that’s when the suspect shot toward the victim and into the building.”
The shot shattered a large window at the restaurant. The victim’s arm was bleeding when police arrived, but it’s not known if the injury was cause by a bullet fragment or flying glass. The victim declined medical treatment.
The case remains under investigation, Benson said.
Police Chief Bill Hogan said he’s not aware of any increase in criminal activity related to race or ethnic background. Hate crimes in Asheville are very rare, he said.
“What I’ve seen to this point is conflicts are not really based on race as much as what the incident is,” Hogan said. “As we investigate cases, we keep an eye out to determine if the motive for a criminal act is ethnic or race-based.”
Contact Clarke Morrison at 828-232-5849 or via e-mail at cmorriso@ashevill.gannett.com.