James Tyler Lynch, 23, of Asheville, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release last Thursday for assault with intent to commit murder and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence stemming from a shooting incident that occurred on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on May 29, 2024, Lynch met the victim at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Asheville. Lynch brought with him a loaded Kahr Arms, Model P380, .380 caliber pistol which he had concealed from the victim. After a brief conversation, Lynch told the victim he and a driver would give the victim a ride. Lynch instructed the driver of the vehicle to drive to Blue Ridge Parkway, while Lynch and the victim rode as passengers. Near milepost 399 along the Parkway, Lynch told the driver to pull off the roadway onto a dirt pullout, where Lynch told the victim to get out of the car. As the victim was walking away, Lynch fired at least six shots, seriously injuring the victim. After shooting the victim, Lynch and the driver fled the scene.
Court documents show that rangers responded to reports of a gunshot victim lying in the roadway.
When they arrived, rangers found that the victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, hand and pelvis. The victim was taken to the hospital and treated for permanent and life-threatening bodily injuries he sustained as a result of the shooting. Special agents with the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch investigated the case that ultimately led to Lynch’s arrest.