Raleigh shooter Austin Thompson showed no 'indications or warning signs' of violent behavior, say parents
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: Austin Thompson, 15, the alleged Raleigh shooter, went on a rampage killing five people, including his elder brother James Thompson, 16, three women, and an off-duty cop on Thursday, October 13, 2022. Thompson himself was in the hospital in critical condition with life-threatening injuries as of Sunday, October 16, but it was not made clear if the injuries were self-inflicted or by the police during a shootout. Now, the parents of the suspect have come forward and claimed that there were no indications of his violent behavior whatsoever.
The 15-year-old suspect also fatally shot his older brother James, a Knightdale High School attendee. The other deceased victims were Susan Karnatz, 49, Nicole Conners, 52, Mary Marshall, 35, and police officer Gabriel Torres, 29. The two surviving victims are Marcille Gardner, 59, and police officer Casey Clark, 33. Alan and Elise Thompson said in a statement issued Tuesday, October 18, "Words cannot begin to describe our anguish and sorrow. Our son Austin inflicted immeasurable pain on the Raleigh community, and we are overcome with grief for the innocent lives lost. We pray for the families and loved ones of Nicole Conners, Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshall, and Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres. We mourn for their loss and for the loss of our son, James," as reported by ABC7NY. The parents wished for a speedy recovery for the injured victims.
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They continued, "We pray that Marcille 'Lynn' Gardner and Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark fully recover from their injuries, and we pray for everyone who was traumatized by these senseless acts of violence. We have so many unanswered questions. 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."
Julia Milstead, public information officer for the city of Raleigh, told the outlet that Chief Patterson will hand in a five-day report to the city manager on Thursday, October 20, 2022, detailing the event during the shooting. Milstead explained that the report will also highlight the suspect's injuries and the type of weapon used for this massacre. Those who spotted him said he "looked like a baby," and was armed with a "long rifle."
A man named Robert, who is a Hedingham resident, told WRAL News that he called 911 around 5 pm, saying, "I saw him basically pass my house in the backyard. He had a long-barrel shotgun. He was dressed in camo. He had a full backpack on that was also camouflage."
You can click on the victims' names to be directed to their GoFundMe pages for the victims -- Nicole Conners, Mary Marshall, police officer Gabriel Torres, and surviving victim Marcille 'Lynn' Gardner.