Suspect in Raleigh, North Carolina, shootings found with shotgun, handgun after deadly rampage
The 15-year-old accused of a shooting rampage in North Carolina's capital city that left five people dead last week was found with a handgun and a shotgun when he was arrested, authorities said Thursday. More details about the shooting emerged from a publicly released four-page preliminary report that Raleigh's police chief delivered to the city manager.
Such summaries are written within five business days of an officer-involved shooting.
Three women, a man and the suspect's older brother were killed in the Oct. 13 shootings that began in Raleigh's Hedingham neighborhood. They were identified as Nicole Connors, 52; Susan Karnatz, 49; Mary Marshall, 34; Raleigh Officer Gabriel Torres, 29, who was off duty at the time; and 16-year-old James Thompson, the suspect's brother. Torres was on his way to work when he was killed, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said.
Two others were wounded, one critically.
Witnesses described a shooter wearing camouflage and firing a shotgun in the attacks in the subdivision and on a nearby walking trail.
Police said the suspect — identified by his parents earlier this week as Austin Thompson — was captured more than four hours after the shootings began. The suspect was hospitalized in critical condition after his arrest. The top local prosecutor has said the suspect will be charged as an adult.
A service was scheduled Thursday evening for the suspect's brother. The parents of the two teenagers released a statement earlier this week saying they are "overcome with grief" and saw no warning signs that the suspect "was capable of doing anything like this."
Services were set for Saturday for Torres and Karnatz. A citywide "Raleigh Healing Together" vigil was planned for Sunday downtown.
