The Asheville Police Department recently announced that it has closed its investigation of an assault case that led to the almost fatal injury of a long-time local conservative activist who now bills himself as — and works as — an investigative journalist for his Facebook page Skyline News.

Specifically, APD spokeswoman Christina Hallingse told the Asheville Citizen Times on Nov. 19 that the case is closed because all leads had been exhausted into a Sept. 28 assault in which Skyline News’ Chad Nesbitt was knocked unconscious and hospitalized with a brain injury while covering a protest in downtown Asheville. She also told the ACT that the case will be reopened if there is any new useful information.

Conversely, in a telephone interview Nov. 24, Nesbitt told the Daily Planet that the detective handling his case told him his case is “suspended” — not “closed.” What’s more, Nesbitt said he is boosting his reward for information leading to an arrest from $5,500 to $10,000.

Following a court case on Nov. 19 involving him and left-wing photo-journalist Veronica Colt, the ACT reported that Nesbitt said that a suspect in the assault has been identified, but he reportedly declined to give a name, saying it was an ongoing investigation. The ACT also quoted Nesbitt as saying there were “28 leads on other suspects” — and that was why he was raising the reward for information from $5,500 to $10,000. (The case with Colt was continued.)

“Nesbitt, who suffered a spinal fluid leak, appeared in court with a cane,” the ACT noted. “He said he was having trouble walking and could not hear out of his right ear, but was seeing specialists and was hoping to be able to be able to drive again.

When contacted by the ACT, the newspaper reported that Nesbitt said that his case is not closed, but after the newspaper contacted the APD, it reported that “Hallingse said it had been made ‘very clear to him’ that leads were exhausted.”

The ACT added, “Police say they believe the person involved is a white male, approximately 6 feet tall who was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, baseball cap and a dark face covering.” (For anyone with information on the case, the APD may be contacted at 252-1110.)

“The assault happened the night activists took to the streets to protest against a grand jury's decision to not indict Louisville, Ky., police officers for killing Breonna Taylor, a black resident of that city shot to death in her apartment during the execution of a search warrant,” the ACT noted.

As Nesbitt filmed the demonstration, protesters suddenly tried to block his view. His bodyguard reportedly was pushed by someone in the crowd — and fell into Nesbitt, who, in turn, fell backward and hit the back of his head on a parking meter, according to the APD. “Videos showed various parts of the encounter, including Nesbitt lying near a parking meter, apparently unconscious,” the ACT noted.

Meanwhile, Nesbitt told the Daily Planet emphatically in a Nov. 24 interview, “The case has been suspended” — not closed.

“I asked the detective if he’s closing the case,” Nesbitt continued. “He (the detective) said, ‘No, we’re not closing the case.’ He said the case has been suspended.” Nesbitt said the detective investigating his case is Trey Ruble.

Again, Nesbitt asked, rhetorically, “How do you close a case if you don’t have an arrest? There are 28 names (leads) out there...”

Further, Nesbitt said that sources have told him that Buncombe District Attorney Todd Williams has said that he would not prosecute this case unless the person (who attacked him) confessed, or if a protester who was there could verify that they actually saw the person” push his bodyguard into him. My response is we prosecute people who rob banks,” fast-food restaurants and convenience stores, so why not prosecute a protester who severely injures a journalist in the line of duty.

Nesbitt noted that Williams is a Democrat and therefore he, as a well-known local conservative activist and a Republican, could not expect to receive fair and just treatment from him in court. (At one time, Nesbitt was chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party.)

Sounding a bit exasperated, Nesbitt asserted, “It (the unfairness and injustice he alleged) is because we’re Democrat-led” in a one political party city. “It’s not fair.”

Regarding the attack on him, Nesbitt told the Daily Planet, “This was a coordinated effort by the Antifa crowd.” 

He spoke of black-clad protesters approaching him in an organized fashion with umbrellas, which Nesbitt said is a common Antifa attack strategy. He added that “the people (also protesters) in a white car (nearby) were saying, as they pointed to him just before the attack, ‘That’s the guy!’” 

At that point, as they were surrounded by protesters, his bodyguard was pushed into him as he was trying to capture the action by livestreaming Facebook with his iPhone. When his bodyguard fell into him, he was caught unprepared and fell backward, hitting the back of his head on a parking meter next to Pack’s Tavern, Nesbitt recounted.

Nesbitt said the bodyguard who was pushed into him quickly ascertained that Nesbitt was seriously injured, so he lay atop Nesbitt in an effort to protect Nesbitt’s body — as much as possible — from the blows from the crowd that was kicking Nesbitt while he was lying on the ground, bleeding from his mouth, ears and scalp — and was unconscious. 

(During the attack, according to media reports, Nesbitt suffered a head injury, a seizure, permanent hearing loss in his right ear, and over 30 stiches to the back of his head.” 

(Also, reportedly the crowd of protesters cheered when Nesbitt fell to the ground with blood oozing from his head, mouth and nose).

Meanwhile, Nesbitt said his other bodyguard, who remained on his feet, sprung into action and “fought off” the protesters the best he could, so that he was able to minimize the blows that were being absorbed by Nesbitt and the bodyguard lying atop him. Nesbitt reiterated that mainly the protesters were trying to kick him to death.

Eventually, Nesbitt said in a critical tone, the APD arrived — “on bicycles” — and placed themselves in formation between Nesbitt and his crew ... and the protesters.

Nesbitt said APD Chief David Zack afterward called the attack on him “attempted murder.”

He added, “If it wasn’t for my security guy,” lying atop him to absorb the protesters’ blows (kicks) and partially protecting Nesbitt until the APD bicycle partrol arrived, “I’m sure I would have died. They (the protesters) tried to kill me.”

Returning to his criticism of the local police, Nesbitt said, “Finally, the APD, on bicycles, arrived on the scene — and they didn’t (even) arrest anyone.” 

The APD later told his wife Nancy that a number of the protesters followed him to the hospital, where the emergency room, in which he was treated, and the seventh floor, where he was taken to recover, “were shut down” to everyone but hospital personnel, Nesbitt and his wife and friends “by the police and hospital security,” Nesbitt told the Daily Planet.

“The APD told my wife that, although security had locked down” his locations in Mission Hospital, “they (the protesters) still tried to get in to finish him off” inside the hospital, as they still attempted to get past the security.

He added, “I was unconscious for three days. The vertigo was unbelievable. Spinal fluid came out of my ear....”

At that point in his interview with the Daily Planet, Nesbitt asked, rhetorically, “Why stop the (APD) investigation with 28 more leads?”

He then answered his question by stating, “The reason is they (the APD) don’t have enough help (detectives)” to handle his case, along with the many other cases happening as a wave of crime erupts around Asheville.

“The thing is, they’re (the APD) ‘short’ of people,” Nesbitt reiterated, adding that the shortage was not just in detectives, but across the ranks of the local police force.

Nesbitt also stated that, according to his inside sources, 58 officers have left the APD during 2020, so far, with more departures expected through the end of the year.