New details: Raleigh police chief releases report on Hedingham mass shooting
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Raleigh mass shooting in Hedingham neighborhood
On Oct. 13, 2022, seven people were shot in Raleigh, NC, in the Hedingham neighborhood near the Neuse River Greenway Trail. Five were killed, including a Raleigh police officer. High school student Austin Thompson was charged with their murders. Read The News & Observer’s ongoing coverage of the mass shooting, Thompson’s guilty plea and his sentencing hearing.
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A week after the devastating shooting in Raleigh that killed five people and injured three people, including the suspect, the city’s Police Department released new details about the investigation.
The memo from Police Chief Estella Patterson describes the violent standoff between the teen suspect, unnamed in the report, and law enforcement, as well as the weapons found at the scene: a shotgun, a handgun and a large hunting knife.
The report does not provide a motive for the shooting and says the victims had no apparent connection other than being in the same Hedingham neighborhood in northeastern Raleigh the night of the Oct. 13 incident.
The first 911 calls about the shooting came at 5:09 p.m. The first officers arrived on scene 10 minutes later.
After the initial shootings, the 15-year-old suspect fled to a nearby “barn-like structure” on McConnell Oliver Road, the report states. Officers did not locate the suspect in the barn until 6:42 p.m.
“He fired multiple times at the officers as they surrounded the barn,” the report states.
After Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark was shot and injured, “approximately 23 rounds were fired” into the barn by Raleigh police, according to the report.
Police then set up a perimeter, and officers ordered the suspect to come out with his hands up. When he did not, they advanced on the building.
“The suspect was located lying on the ground and appeared to be suffering from a single gunshot wound,” the report said.
The report did not specify the location of the wound or say whether the suspect was shot by police or shot himself.
He was found “wearing camouflage clothing,” with a handgun in his waistband, a sheath for a knife, clipped to his belt and a backpack with several types of “shotgun/rifle ammunition.” Police also found a hunting knife at the front of the barn, and a shotgun and shotgun shells near the barn, the report stated.
The suspect was put in handcuffs at 9:36 p.m., nearly four and a half hours after the initial reports of shooting.
The report says James Thompson, 16, the suspect’s brother, was found “with an apparent gunshot wound and stab wounds,” inside a home on Sahalee Way.
Police believe the victims were shot in this order: James Thompson, Marcille Gardner, Nicole Connors, her dog, Officer Gabriel Torres, Mary Marshall, Susan Karnatz and Clark.
The suspect, who has been identified by his family as 15-year-old Austin Thompson, remains in critical condition in the hospital, the chief’s memo states.
Although not mentioned in the report, a city official confirmed that Austin Thompson left a note but provided no details about what it said.
The State Bureau of Investigation will investigate the officers who discharged their weapons, “as with any officer-involved shooting,” Patterson said Tuesday.
The two Raleigh officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is underway, which is routine. The police department will petition for the release of recordings involving the two officers as well as Clark.
District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said the SBI is also investigating the Wake County Sheriff’s Office for its use of force in apprehending the suspect.
Maj. Barry Jones with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said 40 deputies responded to the shooting that day, including members of the Tactical Response Team and the K-9 unit. Jones said four deputies discharged their weapons and are on administrative duty.
Gov. Roy Cooper reacted to Thursday’s report via Twitter.
“Today’s police report begins to piece together the events of that terrible night, and we know that questions remain as the investigation continues. I will continue to make any and all state resources available to support this mission,” Cooper said.
Parents’ statement
On Tuesday, the parents of James and Austin Thompson expressed deep condolences for the victims.
“Our son Austin inflicted immeasurable pain on the Raleigh community, and we are overcome with grief for the innocent lives lost,” Alan and Elise Thompson said in a statement.
The couple said they mourn for the loss of the victims and pray for the full recovery of Gardner and Clark.
“We have so many unanswered questions,” they said. “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.”
Proposed city commission
City Council member David Cox, whose district includes the Hedingham neighborhood, said Thursday it was difficult to not feel emotional reading the report.
“I’m just baffled by it all,” he said. ”I don’t understand — how do we get to this point where we feel it’s OK to go out and shoot people like this, and that we’re passing that attitude down to our children?”
Cox is interested in looking at gaps in North Carolina gun laws and making recommendations to the state.
“I would certainly support the city forming a commission that would look into gun violence to understand what the root causes are,” he said.
He plans to bring it up at the next council meeting.
Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin has spoken to the city’s lobbyist to start compiling bills related to gun control that have already been submitted and to speak to elected leaders from Raleigh’s legislative delegation.
She’s not sure a city commission is the “appropriate course of action,” she said, suggesting the city might be interested in a bill that focuses on funding education initiatives on safe firearms storage.
“It brings back all the pain of a week ago,” Baldwin said. “You know it just stirs up all those emotions again. I think that we all want to know what happened. And we now know how things happened. But I think everybody wants to know why. And we’re not there yet. It’s an ongoing investigation.”
Details like the suspect reportedly stabbing his brother and “the amount of acreage that he covered during this act of terror” were particularly striking, she said.
Funerals, vigils for victims
Families of the victims are preparing to celebrate the lives of their loved ones at funerals. On Thursday, the Thompsons were scheduled to have a funeral for James.
The funeral for 29-year-old Torres is this weekend. Torres was on the job for 18 months and was on his way to work when he was killed. He was not in uniform or in his patrol car at the time of the incident. He leaves behind a wife and 2-year-old daughter.
From 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, a visitation will be held at Mitchell Funeral Home at 7029 Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh. On Saturday, the funeral is set for 11 a.m. at Cross Assembly Church on 2260 Yonkers Road in Raleigh.
Both ceremonies are open to the public.
Several vigils and a run event for Karnatz, an avid runner, have been organized since last week.
On Sunday at 3 p.m., the city will hold a vigil at the plaza in front of Memorial Auditorium in downtown Raleigh.
Reporter Virginia Bridges contributed to this story.
This story was originally published October 20, 2022 at 2:17 PM.
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