Teenager Admits Guilt in Devastating North Carolina Mass Shooting
An 18-year-old has entered a guilty plea to multiple serious charges, including first-degree murder, for his role in a horrific mass shooting that unfolded in North Carolina in 2022. The rampage resulted in the tragic deaths of five individuals and left a community in mourning.
Courtroom Proceedings and Charges
Austin David Thompson, who was just 15 years old at the time of the attack, appeared before Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway. Dressed in a quarter-zip sweater and slacks, Thompson offered minimal verbal responses as the judge questioned him and formally accepted his pleas. The young man admitted guilt to a total of ten charges: five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assault of an officer with a firearm.
The decision to plead guilty came unexpectedly, as Thompson had been scheduled to face a state court trial in less than a fortnight. His legal team, which had previously filed numerous pretrial motions to restrict certain testimony and evidence, announced the change of plea on Tuesday. In a written statement, the attorneys emphasised that avoiding a protracted trial would “save the community and the victims from as much additional infliction of trauma as possible.”
Sentencing and Legal Parameters
Judge Ridgeway has scheduled a sentencing hearing for the 2nd of February, which is anticipated to extend over several days as testimony and evidence are thoroughly examined. Notably, no plea agreement was reached with local prosecutors, a fact acknowledged by Thompson and his counsel in court.
Due to his age at the time of the offences, Thompson is not eligible for the death penalty. The court faces significant sentencing decisions. A judge could impose life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the murder convictions. Alternatively, Judge Ridgeway may opt for a sentence that would allow Thompson to become eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years. This follows recent state appellate rulings that have placed a 40-year limit on the period such young offenders must serve before parole eligibility can be considered.
Sequence of the 2022 Attack
During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Patrick Latour provided the court with a detailed summary of the evidence that would have been presented at trial. He outlined the chilling sequence of events that occurred on the 13th of October, 2022.
The violence began in the Hedingham community, where Thompson first shot and then repeatedly stabbed his older brother, James, whose body was discovered inside the family home. Armed and on the move, Thompson then proceeded to shoot multiple neighbours on the community streets. This resulted in the deaths of 52-year-old Nicole Connors and 29-year-old off-duty Raleigh police officer Gabriel Torres. Another neighbour was wounded but survived the attack.
The rampage continued on a nearby greenway trail, where Thompson fatally shot two more individuals: 34-year-old Mary Marshall and 49-year-old Susan Karnatz. Dressed in camouflage and armed with multiple weapons, Thompson was eventually located by law enforcement hiding in a shed. His arrest followed an hours-long standoff during which he wounded another police officer.
Motive and Aftermath
The court hearing provided little clarity regarding Austin Thompson's motive for the shootings. His attorneys stated this week that a serious brain injury, sustained from what Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman concluded was a self-inflicted gunshot wound prior to his arrest, “has made it such that Austin cannot explain why he committed this shooting.”
ADA Latour mentioned that a note written by Thompson acknowledged why he killed his brother but offered no further explanation; the note has been ordered to remain confidential for the time being. Latour also revealed that Thompson's online search history showed he had sought information concerning mass shootings and related topics.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, investigators executing search warrants seized a significant arsenal from the Thompson family home, including 11 firearms and 160 boxes of ammunition, some of which were empty. In a related 2024 case, Thompson's father pleaded guilty to improperly storing a handgun that authorities said was found with his son after the shootings. He received a suspended sentence and probation.
Victim Impact and Community Response
Robert Steele, who was engaged to victim Mary Marshall at the time of her death, spoke to reporters following the hearing. He expressed a firm belief that sentencing Thompson to life in prison without parole represents the appropriate course of action. “That's justice,” Steele stated. “He took five people's lives, he tried to take two others.” His words underscore the profound and lasting impact the shooting has had on the victims' families and the wider Raleigh community.
