Autopsies released for the victims killed in the Hedingham mass shooting

Seven months after a mass shooting rocked the Hedingham community in Raleigh, the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office released the autopsies of the five people who were killed.

The documents confirm that the shooter used both a shotgun and a .22 caliber handgun in the attacks. All of the victims, except for one, were shot multiple times.

One victim was stabbed multiple times and shot.

On Oct. 13, seven people were shot in Hedingham, a suburban neighborhood in Raleigh. Of the people who were shot, five were killed: Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres, 29; Nicole Connors, 52; Susan Karnatz, 49; Mary Marshall, 34; and James Thompson, 16.

After a multi-hour search, authorities surrounded the suspect, 15-year-old Austin Thompson, the younger brother of James Thompson. During the standoff with law enforcement, Austin suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

Although he was taken into custody, no details have been released about his physical or mental condition.

In February, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman reaffirmed her desire to try Thompson as an adult. However, the legal process has been slow and has been made more complicated by Thompson’s juvenile status.

Thompson’s charges currently remain in juvenile court, where the majority of details about the case against him is protected. This is standard practice in juvenile law, according to Freeman.

This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 5:33 PM.