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2022 Raleigh shootings

2022 Raleigh shootings
CCTV still of Thompson carrying a shotgun during the shooting
LocationRaleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
DateOctober 13, 2022 (October 13, 2022)
c. 5:00 – 9:37 p.m. (EDT; UTC−04:00)
Attack type
Mass shooting, stabbing, shootout, fratricide
Weapons
Deaths5
Injured3 (including the perpetrator)
PerpetratorAustin Thompson
MotiveMisanthropy[5]
Convictions10 counts[a]

On October 13, 2022, a mass shooting took place in the Hedingham neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Five people were killed, and three others were injured.[6] The perpetrator, 15-year-old Austin Thompson,[7] was detained after being cornered by police at a nearby residence and was in critical condition from a gunshot wound to the head sustained during the incident.[8][9][10] Thompson survived his head injury and has begun to receive physical rehabilitation.[11] He was transferred from a hospital to the medical unit of a juvenile correctional facility.[12] On January 21, 2026, Thompson pleaded guilty on all counts.[13] On February 13, 2026, Thompson was sentenced to life in prison without parole.[14]

Shootings

The shootings began in a residential area near the Neuse River Trail shortly after 5 p.m. on October 13, 2022.[6] Thompson first killed his brother at home by shooting him in the head with a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle[4] and stabbing him 57 times in the neck. Then, armed with a shotgun, handgun, and hunting knife, Thompson went out into the street, where he fatally shot a woman on her porch and critically wounded another woman in the driveway of the same house.[15][16][17] Thompson proceeded through Hedingham, shooting to death an off-duty police officer in the 6000 block of Osprey Drive.[8] He then ran to the nearby Neuse River Trail, where he fatally shot a woman jogging and another woman walking her dog.[18]

Five people were killed, and two others were wounded.[6] There were four separate crime scenes spanning 2 miles (3.2 km).[19] Police received the first 9-1-1 call about the shooting at 5:13 p.m. At 5:55 p.m., the Raleigh Police Department announced on Twitter that it was on the scene of an active shooter situation in the area.[20] While Thompson was at large, local residents were advised by law enforcement to stay indoors at 6:49 p.m. [20][21][22]

A police dog eventually tracked Thompson to a wooded area with two barn-like buildings.[18] When the police arrived at 6:45 p.m., Thompson fired multiple times at them, injuring an officer. Several officers returned fire, shooting an estimated 23 rounds at the building. After setting a perimeter around the structure, officers commanded Thompson to surrender his weapons and come out with his hands up. At 9:34 p.m., Selective Enforcement Unit officers breached the building and found Thompson inside. Thompson had suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was transported to WakeMed to be treated.[16][23]

Perpetrator

Austin David Thompson was identified as the perpetrator who, at the time, was a 15-year-old sophomore at Knightdale High School.[24] The Wake County District Attorney announced that there were plans to charge Thompson as an adult.[20] Immediately after the shooting, Thompson was reported as in a "grave" condition; he was moved to a rehab facility in November for additional treatment after being charged with the five killings on November 11.[7][25] Thompson made his first official court appearance on October 4, 2023, where he was charged as an adult with five counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill, and one count of assault with firearm on law enforcement officer. His father was also cited for failing to store his guns.[26][27]

Thompson's attorneys initially stated that Thompson couldn't explain his motive due to his brain injury.[28] However, during a court hearing on February 5, 2026, Thompson revealed to the court in a letter that he was motivated by his hatred of the human species.[5] Eight days later on February 13, 2026, Thompson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole.[29]

Investigation

Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Raleigh Police Department and the ATF, are involved with the investigation.[21] Governor Roy Cooper deployed state resources to assist investigators at the crime scenes.[8] A "five-day report," including a detailed outline of the incident, was filed to the Raleigh city manager on October 20.[30][31]

The accused was originally scheduled to go on trial in September 2025,[32] which was later pushed to February 2, 2026.[33] He was to be tried as an adult. Before the trial date, his attorneys filed documents with the court stating that Austin Thompson would plead guilty to all charges.[28] On February 13, 2026, he was sentenced to life without parole.

Reactions

Two commemorative vigils were held in the Hedingham area on October 15.[34] U.S. President Joe Biden said he and his wife Jill were grieving with the victims' families.[35] Governor Roy Cooper said that the pain the victims' families were experiencing was unimaginable and that changes must be made to prevent similar tragedies.[36] He later announced that flags would be flown at half-staff to honor the victims.[20] Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said the residents of Raleigh needed to come together, adding, "We need to support those in our community who have suffered a terrible loss, a loss of a loved one."[36] Additionally, several other senators and representatives spoke about the shooting.[35]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^

References

  1. ^ Wresilo, Victoria (December 14, 2022). "How private security played a role in responding to Raleigh mass shooting". spectrumlocalnews.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Tucker, Luke (January 25, 2024). "Warrant: Suspected Raleigh mass shooter had stockpile of weapons, ammo during arrest". wbtv.com.
  3. ^ Shaffer, Josh (September 25, 2024). "Father of accused Hedingham mass shooter pleads guilty to unsafe firearms-storage charge". newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Harley, Deana. "Teen pleads guilty in Raleigh Hedingham neighborhood mass shooting". Archived from the original on January 23, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  5. ^ a b Cloherty, Megan; Gallagher, Shaun (February 5, 2026). "Confession note shows glimpse into Raleigh mass shooter's troubled mind before shooting". WRAL.com. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c Vera, Amir; Lynch, Jamiel; Smart, Sara; Rose, Andy (October 13, 2022). "5 dead in Raleigh, North Carolina, shooting, mayor says". CNN. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Raleigh mass shooting suspect moved from WakeMed to rehab facility". ABC 11. November 11, 2022. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Officer, several others dead at Raleigh active shooting scene, law enforcement sources say". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. October 13, 2022. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  9. ^ Deliso, Meredith; Winsor, Morgan; Shapiro, Emily (October 13, 2022). "'Active shooting' reported near trail in Raleigh, North Carolina: Police". ABC News. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Sanches, Ray; Young, Ryan; Sayers, Devon; Elamroussi, Aya (October 14, 2022). "A juvenile suspect is in custody after a shooting leaves 5 dead, at least 2 wounded in Raleigh, North Carolina, police say". CNN. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  11. ^ Fisher, Joe (October 28, 2022). "Raleigh mass shooter suspect condition injuries". WRAL. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  12. ^ Fisher, Joe (November 11, 2022). "Raleigh mass shooter out of hospital condition". WRAL. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  13. ^ "North Carolina teen pleads guilty to murdering 5 people in 2022 killing spree". NBC News. January 22, 2026. Archived from the original on January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
  14. ^ "Judge sentences teen to life without parole for fatally shooting 5 in North Carolina". Associated Press. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  15. ^ Finley, Ben; Breed, Allen; Schoenbaum, Hannah (October 14, 2022). "NC shooting claims mom, veteran, matriarch, officer and teen". The Hill. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Raleigh police release report with new details of mass shooting that left 5 dead, 2 injured". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. October 20, 2022. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  17. ^ Morton, Kayla (May 17, 2023). "Autopsies released for Raleigh Mass Shooting victims: what really happened?". wect.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "North Carolina: Suspect,15, in custody after Raleigh shooting spree". BBC News. October 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  19. ^ Cataneo, Emily; Rojas, Rick; Patel, Vimal; Oxenden, McKenna; Ives, Mike (October 14, 2022). "Suspect, 15, in Custody After Shooting Rampage Left 5 Dead in Raleigh Neighborhood". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d Hammond, Colleen (October 15, 2022). "Here's what we know about Raleigh, NC shooting after 5 killed, including a police officer". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Raleigh Police on scene of active shooter in area of greenway with multiple victims". WBTV. October 13, 2022. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  22. ^ Mccarthy, Morgan (October 14, 2022). "The Raleigh shooter killed "dedicated" mother of three Susan Karnatz as she jogged along the Neuse River Trail". Local Today. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  23. ^ "Updates: Suspect in custody after deadly shooting rampage in Raleigh neighborhood, police say". WSOC TV. October 14, 2022. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  24. ^ Moore, Mary Helen; Shaffer, Josh; Johnson, Anna (October 15, 2022). "What we know about the 15-year-old suspect in the Raleigh mass shooting". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  25. ^ Jacabo, Julia (October 16, 2022). "15-year-old suspect in Raleigh shooting remains in 'grave' condition: Official". Head Topics. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  26. ^ Donovan, Chelsea (October 4, 2023). "Raleigh mass shooting suspect will be tried as adult; father cited for firearms violation". WRAL. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  27. ^ "Father of teenage suspect in North Carolina mass shooting pleads guilty to gun storage crime". Associated Press. September 25, 2024. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Gray, Daniel (January 20, 2026). "Austin Thompson to plead guilty in mass shooting". Spectrum News.
  29. ^ "18-year-old sentenced to life without parole for fatally shooting 5 in North Carolina". CBS News. February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  30. ^ Jacobo, Julia (October 16, 2022). "15-year-old suspect in Raleigh shooting remains in 'grave' condition: Official". ABC News. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  31. ^ Patterson, Estella (October 20, 2022). "Preliminary Report of October 13, 2022 Officer-Involved Shooting" (PDF). City of Raleigh. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  32. ^ "'Racist, aggressive, and violent': Lawsuit details neighbors' complaints about Hedingham mass shooter days before killing spree". CBS17.com. October 4, 2024. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  33. ^ "Accused Hedingham shooter won't face trial until 2026". WRAL.com. January 10, 2025. Archived from the original on January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  34. ^ Knese, Brett; Moreno, Leslie; Owens, Adam (October 15, 2022). "At vigils, online, community rallies to support families of Raleigh mass shooting victims". WRAL. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  35. ^ a b Shaffer, Josh (October 14, 2022). "NC officials, President Biden react to 'tremendous tragedy' 5 deaths in Raleigh shooting". News Observer. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  36. ^ a b Santucci, Jeanine (October 14, 2022). "5 dead, including a police officer, in North Carolina shooting; suspect in custody, authorities say". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
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