The recently released five-day report from the Raleigh Police Department provides some of the new details on the mass shooting, which left five people dead, two others injured, and the community devastated.
The suspect, aged 15, was apprehended after a period of four hours and 27 minutes marked by disorder and tension, starting from the initial 911 call.
According to his parents, Austin Thompson is their fifteen-year-old child. Although the report does not reveal the identity of the young offender, there seems to be no apparent link between the victims and the suspect, except for the fact that they resided in the identical locality, as stated by the authorities based on the information at hand.
The reason for the shooting rampage remains unknown.
911 calls pour in as terror unfolds in neighborhood
According to the report, a call for service was received when multiple gunshots were reported last Thursday at 5:09 p.M. Near the golf course in the Hedingham community.
Calls started to pour in about the finding of gunshot victims, while Raleigh police officers were attending to that specific call.
At around 5:12 p.M., A 911 caller reported hearing shots and shortly after, saw two people lying on the porch and ground of block 5300 on Sahalee Way.
Gardner continues to be hospitalized in a critical yet stable state. Connors, on the other hand, passed away at the medical facility. Nicole Connors, the second individual affected, was observed on the front porch of the identical house. Meanwhile, Marcille Gardner, the initial casualty, was discovered lying in the driveway of a dwelling on Sahalee Way in the 5300 block.
Connors’ canine companion was also discovered fatally shot.
Another 911 call came in regarding a shooting on the 6000 block of Osprey Cove Drive. The caller said they observed a police officer in his vehicle who had been shot, wearing camouflage clothing.
Torres succumbed to his injuries and passed away at the hospital. The police officer, Gabriel Torres, was fatally shot while seated in his private car and preparing to commute to his job. Torres became a member of the law enforcement agency in March 2021.
Approximately seven minutes after the initial report was received, law enforcement officers arrived at the Hedingham community.
Several emergency callers described the shooter as a young white male seen running on the Neuse River Greenway Trail.
Two minutes later, another 911 caller said they discovered two more people suffering from gunshot wounds at separate locations along the greenway.
Mary Marshall, who was taking her dog for a walk, and Susan Karnatz, who was jogging, were discovered dead at the location.
Shots exchanged as officers close in
Nearby schools and assisted living facilities implemented lockdown measures in response to the expansion of the search area by RPD, which was supported by various state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies.
Ultimately, around 6:42 p.M., Authorities traced the perpetrator to a region with barn-style buildings close to McConnell Oliver Drive.
As the officers were closing in, Officer Casey Clark, who had been injured by the suspect’s gunfire from one of the buildings, collapsed to the ground.
Several law enforcement officials engaged in a shootout. Afterwards, the officers delivered covering fire to guarantee Clark’s secure removal and to provide him with necessary medical treatment for his injuries.
An initial inquiry suggests that officers from the RPD discharged approximately 23 bullets at the outbuilding.
The Officers from the Selective Enforcement Unit (SEU) used tactical equipment to identify the exact location where the suspect is in possession of weapons. They repeatedly gave commands for the suspect to come out with his hands up and established a perimeter.
Within the structure, Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) officers discovered the individual positioned on the floor and experiencing a lone gunshot injury almost three hours subsequent to surrounding the individual at 9:34 p.M., SEU officers progressed towards.
Weapons found, arrest made
At that moment, the teenage suspect was clad in camouflage clothing and holding a backpack. He had a gun concealed in his waistband.
The backpack held a variety of things, such as shotgun and rifle ammunition.
A sizable hunting dagger was discovered at the entrance of the auxiliary structure and the covering was fastened to his waist.
Authorities discovered a firearm and ammunition on the vicinity of where they were standing.
The perpetrator was placed in handcuffs by law enforcement personnel and EMS workers rendered aid and promptly transported him to WakeMed, where he is presently receiving medical care for severe injuries.
The Thompson family released a statement this week, stating that their 15-year-old son Austin, who is the suspect of the shooting, was taken into custody and is currently in a critical condition. However, they mentioned that his condition is gradually getting better. Furthermore, they emphasized that there were no prior indications or warning signs suggesting that Austin was capable of such actions.
James Thompson, the older brother of one of the victims, was remembered on Thursday evening at a celebration of life service held at Trinity Baptist Church on Six Forks Road.
Police discovered puncture wounds and a gunshot injury in a residence on Sahalee Way, where they believed James Thompson to be the initial fatality.
Law enforcement subsequently discovered discharged projectiles within a residence located in the 2200 section of Castle Pines Drive.
The map displays the projected route of the suspect involved in the shooting.
Officer Clark, Susan Karnatz, and Mary Marshall, along with Officer Torres and her canine companion, Nicole Connors, Marcille Gardner, and James Thompson, were the individuals who first fired upon the suspect, as reported by the RPD.
The report stated that the “common reason behind these attacks is still unclear.”
RPD officers Sgt. K.M. Smithey and D.M. Garner, who both fired their weapons, have been placed on administrative duty, as is standard.
Police urge anyone with additional information regarding this incident to contact Raleigh Crimestoppers at (919) 996-1193.