A week after Raleigh mass shooting, here’s what we know about the investigation

Numerous questions remain since an Oct. 13 mass shooting in Raleigh left five people dead and two others injured.

Those fatally shot died in or near the Hedingham neighborhood, which is in northeastern Raleigh, and the Neuse River Greenway. One of those who was killed was an off-duty Raleigh police officer. A dog belonging to one of the victims also was killed.

The suspect, who was captured around 9:37 p.m. that night, remains hospitalized in critical condition, as of Oct. 20.

One of the two injured people also is a police officer and was released from the hospital.

“You pray that something like this will never happen here. It did,” Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said after the shooting on Oct. 13. “It’s a tragic day. Raleigh police have lost one of its own.”

Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said Tuesday that the department’s homicide unit had been investigating the shooting, “working around the clock to identify and interview witnesses and to collect evidence to better understand the sequence of events that occurred and the possible motives behind the suspect’s actions.”

Thursday, the Raleigh Police Department released a five-day report on the investigation so far. The report provided new information about how the shooting unfolded across a neighborhood and nearby running trail, a nearly three-hour standoff between the suspected shooter and law enforcement, as well as weapons that were found on the suspect when he was taken into custody.

Here is what we know as of Thursday, Oct. 20.

Who were the victims shot in Raleigh, NC?

City officials announced the five fatalities the morning of Oct. 14: They are

• Nicole Connors, 52
• Susan Karnatz, 49
• Mary Marshall, 34
• James Roger Thompson, 16
• Gabriel Torres, 29, a Raleigh police officer

Two other people were injured and taken to the hospital.

Senior Officer Casey Joseph Clark, 33, was shot and sustained non-critical injuries. He was released from WakeMed hospital Oct. 13.

“He is vibrant, energetic, just itching to get back to work,” Patterson said Tuesday at a council meeting.

Marcille “Lynn” Gardner, 59, was also injured and remains in the hospital, Patterson said Oct. 18. While Gardner was initially in critical condition Friday morning, the police chief said Tuesday that she is “improving.”

Who is the suspect?

At 8 p.m., Raleigh police had a suspect “contained.” At 9:37 p.m., the suspect was in custody and was taken to WakeMed Hospital.

Austin Thompson, a 15-year-old sophomore at Knightdale High School, was identified by his family as the suspect. He is the younger brother of 16-year-old shooting victim James Thompson.

The brothers lived in the Hedingham neighborhood.

Their parents, Alan and Elise Thompson, released a statement Tuesday, Oct. 18.

“Our son Austin inflicted immeasurable pain on the Raleigh community, and we are overcome with grief for the innocent lives lost.

“We pray for the families and loved ones of Nicole Connors, Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshall and Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres. We mourn for their loss and for the loss of our son, James.

“We pray that Marcille ‘Lynn’ Gardner and Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark fully recover from their injuries, and we pray for everyone who was traumatized by these senseless acts of violence.

“We have so many unanswered questions. There were never any indications or warning signs that Austin was capable of doing anything like this. Our family will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do whatever we can to help them understand why and how this happened.”

What is the suspect’s condition?

As of Thursday, Austin Thompson remained in critical condition at WakeMed, where he was taken after a standoff with police, according to the report.

Police have said they found Thompson with a single gunshot wound, but have not provided additional information about his injuries or how they were sustained.

How did police find and arrest the suspect?

According to Thursday’s report, officers located Thompson inside a “barn-like structure” near McConnell Oliver Drive at approximately 6:42 p.m., almost an hour and a half after the shooting began.

While they were searching the area, the report states, Thompson fired multiple shots at them from the barn. One of the responding officers, Clark, was injured during this time with a gunshot wound.

To give Clark cover so he could be pulled away to safety, two officers returned fire in the direction of the building where Thompson was hiding. The officers fired approximately 23 rounds, according to the report.

For nearly three hours, officers commanded Thompson to leave the barn with his hands up, and used “tactical equipment” to determine Thompson’s exact location inside the building, and what kinds of weapons he had on him.

That equipment included drones police flew above and inside the barn to obtain a visual of Thompson and the weapons in his possession, as well as a clawed-robot that could separate the weapons from Thompson so officers could safely approach the barn, the N&O reported.

Around 9:34 p.m., officers advanced toward the building and found Thompson lying on the ground and suffering from an apparent single gunshot wound. They secured him in handcuffs at 9:36 p.m., and EMS personnel gave Thompson medical attention and transported him to the hospital.

When will the suspect be charged?

On Oct. 14, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told The N&O she plans to charge Thompson as an adult. She has already completed the first steps in that process, filing a petition for a probable cause hearing.

“In this situation, there’s no question the mass loss of life, in my opinion, this case be transferred and tried in superior court,” Freeman said.

These hearings usually take place within 15 days of the incident, Freeman said, but given the suspect’s current health status, this timeline could be delayed.

What weapons did the suspect use? How did the suspect get them?

Thompson was found by officers inside the barn wearing camouflage clothing and a backpack that contained different types of “shotgun/rifle” ammunition, according to the report.

He had a handgun in his waistband, and a sheath for a large knife was clipped to his belt. In the front of the barn was a “large hunting knife.” Police also found a shotgun and shotgun shells lying on the ground next to him.

Earlier, police officers were concerned that Thompson may also possess a hand grenade, as reported in a 911 call. No other weapons were found on Thompson, though.

Police have not said how Thompson obtained the firearms, knife and ammunition.

Was there a motive for the shooting?

As of Thursday, police said they have yet to determine what motivated Thompson to shoot his brother and six others.

“The collective motive for these attacks is still unknown,” Patterson stated in the report. “Based on information currently available, there does not appear to be any connection between the victims that were shot by the suspect prior to his encounter with the police other than they lived in the same neighborhood.”

How can I help the victims and their families?

Several of the victims’ families have started fundraising campaigns for their loved ones. While there are individual fundraisers for each victim, the N&O has compiled a growing list of donation opportunities, vigils and memorials for each victim.

How can I pay tribute to Officer Torres?

Funeral arrangements have been announced for Raleigh Police officer Gabriel Torres. The services will be open to the public.

The details are:

Visitation: Friday, Oct. 21, 4 to 7 p.m. Mitchell Funeral Home, 7029 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh

Funeral: Saturday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. Cross Assembly Church, 2660 Yonkers Road, Raleigh.

The Raleigh Police Department created a memorial for Torres outside of the district’s downtown Raleigh office at 218 W. Cabarrus St.

The Raleigh Police Department asks those seeking to help Torres’ family email SupportRPD@raleighnc.gov.

What is the timeline of the shooting and the aftermath?

Using information from police posted on social media, shared at press conferences, and detailed in the five-day report, in addition to scanner traffic of conversations between officers during the shooting and its aftermath, the N&O has compiled a timeline of the events as they unfolded on Oct. 13 and in the days that followed.

Below is an abridged version with key events. The complete timeline can be found here.

Thursday

5:09 p.m. Wake County emergency communications receives the first call reporting multiple shots fired near the Hedingham golf course.

5:12 p.m. A 911 caller on Sahalee Way reports hearing shots outside. She told a dispatcher she sees two victims down near the corner of Sahalee and Castle Pines Drive. The two victims are later identified as Nicole Connors, 52, and Marcille Gardner, 59.

Another 911 call seconds later from the 6000 block of Osprey Cove Drive reports that a suspect “came through with a shotgun and shot my buddy,” who the caller reveals is an off-duty Raleigh police officer later identified as 29-year-old Gabriel Torres. The caller says the shooter, who “looked like he was 16,” was wearing camouflage and fled to the Neuse River Trail.

Both locations are in the Hedingham subdivision in northeastern Raleigh with houses bordering the Neuse River Greenway Trail.

5:19 p.m. Officers first arrive on the scene, according to the city’s 5-day report.

5:21 p.m. A 911 caller cycling on the Neuse River Greenway reports two women injured and on the ground along the trail near Bay Harbor Drive. The victims are later identified as Susan Karnatz, 49, and Mary Marshall, 35.

5:49 p.m. Audio from law enforcement and emergency radio indicates officers are looking for a “6-foot white male. 15 years old. Camo with a long gun.”

5:55 p.m. On Twitter, the Raleigh Police Department says it’s on the scene of an active shooting in the neighborhood and advises residents near Osprey Cove Drive and Bay Harbor Drive to remain in their homes.

6:12 p.m. Scanner traffic reports someone seeing a suspect in camouflage with a backpack on Tarheel Club Road and Tarheel Clubhouse Road, about a mile northeast of the Hedingham neighborhood, running into the woods.

6:42 p.m. Officers locate the suspect on McConnell Oliver Drive in an area with two outbuildings.

6:44 p.m. Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark suffers a gunshot wound. According to scanner traffic, responders say the officer has suffered a gunshot wound to the kneecap and has been stabilized.

Multiple officers return fire. Two Raleigh police officers fire 23 shots, according to the city’s 5-day report.

6:49 p.m. Raleigh police issue a warning about an area just over a mile away, telling people in the area of McConnell Oliver Drive, Tarheel Club Road and Old Milburnie Road to remain indoors. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

7:01 p.m. Officers strategize about using an aerial drone to monitor the suspect in a barn off McConnell Oliver Drive over scanner traffic.

7:18 p.m. Over scanner traffic, law enforcement watching the subject note he’s sitting down with a gun in his lap. “We have not had movement yet.” They decide to move in with the drone, which they’re able to get within 15 feet of the suspect.

7:33 p.m. Raleigh law enforcement communicates over scanner traffic that they just got a tip the suspect may have a hand grenade.

About 8 p.m. Raleigh police have a suspect “contained” in a residence in the area, they later report.

9:04 p.m. At a news conference, Baldwin reports that five people were killed, including an off-duty Raleigh police officer. She said two others were taken to WakeMed, including another police officer with non-life-threatening injuries.

9:11 p.m. Over scanner traffic, officers say they plan to keep one robot between the suspect and the firearm while they use another to grab the weapon.

9:34 p.m. Officers advance toward the outbuilding where the suspect is located.

9:36 p.m. Officers handcuff the shooting suspect, who is suffering from a single gunshot wound. He is wearing camouflage clothing and a backpack, with a handgun in his waistband, according to the city’s 5-day report. Officers find a large hunting knife and a shotgun nearby.

9:37 p.m. In a Twitter post, Raleigh police say a suspect is now in custody.

10:51 p.m. In a press conference, Raleigh police Lt. Jason Borneo says the shooting suspect is a “white male juvenile,” and that an officer who was shot had already been released by the hospital. Borneo would not elaborate on any suspected motives. He also says Patterson, the chief, is on a flight back to Raleigh after attending a professional conference.

Friday

7 a.m. Raleigh police appear to be searching a home on Sahalee Way in the Hedingham neighborhood.

8:40 a.m. Baldwin and other city officials name the five people killed.

2 p.m. Freeman tells The N&O she plans to seek adult charges against the shooting suspect.

2:15 p.m. Sources confirm to The N&O that the suspect is 15-year-old Austin Thompson, a brother of James Thompson, 16, one of the five people killed. A sophomore at Knightdale High School, Austin Thompson is in critical condition at WakeMed.

Tuesday

1 p.m. Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson updates the city council, revealing that the State Bureau of Investigation is leading an investigation of officers who fired their weapons during the incident. She also says the suspect remains in critical condition.

5:02 p.m. Lawyers for Alan and Elise Thompson, the parents of James and Austin, release a statement saying “there were never any indications or warning signs their son was capable of doing anything like this.” They also pledged to cooperate with law enforcement.

Thursday

2:15 p.m. Raleigh Police Department releases a “5-day report” on the shooting incident, providing more details on the response and investigation. Police said the motive is still unknown.

Tyler Dukes and Kimberly Cataudella contributed to this story

This story was originally published October 14, 2022 at 1:10 AM.