Austin Thompson, now 18, faces charges for the October 13, 2022, mass shooting in Raleigh, North Carolina’s Hedingham neighborhood that killed five people, including his brother and a police officer. Court documents indicate he intends to plead guilty to all counts, bypassing a February trial and proceeding directly to sentencing to spare victims’ families and the community further trauma. His attorneys cite a severe brain injury from police apprehension as impairing his ability to explain the act, though he accepts responsibility.
Incident Details
Thompson, aged 15 at the time, allegedly shot his brother James Roger Thompson at home, then used a shotgun and handgun to kill Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres, Mary Elizabeth Marshall, Nicole Connors, and Susan Karnatz in the neighborhood and on the Neuse River Greenway. Two others were injured: Marcille Lynn Gardner and Officer C. Clark. He was arrested after a standoff in a shed, dressed in camouflage.
Legal Proceedings
Charged as an adult with five murders, two attempted murders, and assaults, Thompson cannot face the death penalty due to his age. His guilty plea filing emphasizes his youth and injury’s impact. No sentencing date is set yet.
Family Context
Investigators found 11 firearms and significant ammunition at the home. Thompson’s father, Alan, pleaded guilty in 2024 to improper handgun storage and received probation.
