Sources have confirmed that the 15-Year-Old gunman who allegedly killed five people and injured two others in a quiet North Carolina neighborhood is Austin Thompson.
According to authorities, it happened in the Hedingham neighborhood in northeast Raleigh near Osprey Cove and Bay Harbor just after 5 p.m.
Officials say the gunman shot 16-year-old James Thompson, then killed 49-year-old Susan Karnatz, 52-year-old Nicole Conners, 35-year-old Mary Marshall, and an off-duty police officer, 29-year-old Gabriel Torres.
Conner’s husband found her in the street, along with their dog, both had been killed.
Two other victims who were shot were treated for injuries at a local hospital. One of those victims was a Raleigh police senior officer who had non-life-threatening injuries, the other is Marcille Lynn Gardner, who remains in the hospital in critical condition.
Witnesses say that Thompson was dressed in camouflage and carrying a long rifle. After the shooting rampage, Thompson barricaded himself inside of a barn, six miles from his home, for several hours before suffering a ‘life-threatening injury.’
Sources say that Thompson was ‘shot in the head.’ According to a memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security, It’s not clear if the suspect’s injuries were self-inflicted.
Thompson was taken to WakeMed WakeMed Health and Hospitals with multiple injuries. If Thompson survives, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson expects him to be charged as an adult
‘In consideration of the mass number of lives lost, it’s appropriate that this case be handled in Superior Court and this individual prosecuted as an adult.’
Neighbors said that Thomspon would walk around the neighborhood at 4:30 am with a backpack on, but neither neighbors or classmates say they saw any ‘red flags.’
