US Edition18-year-old to plead guilty to North Carolina shooting that left 5 dead, lawyers say
Austin Thompson, 18, plans to plead guilty to killing five in a 2022 Raleigh shooting, avoiding trial and moving directly to sentencing, prosecutors said.
- On Tuesday, a written notice in Wake County court said Austin Thompson, defendant , intends to plead guilty to all charges, filed one day before a hearing ahead of a Feb. 2 trial.
- On Oct. 13, 2022, police say Austin Thompson, then 15, killed his older brother James Roger Thompson in Raleigh's Hedingham neighborhood, then shot four others near Neuse River Greenway, killing five.
- Investigators seized 11 firearms and 160 boxes of ammunition from the Thompson home, and officers found Thompson in a shed with a gunshot wound and $772 in cash.
- The plea shifts the case to sentencing, and Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman says her office is ready for the sentencing hearing, where the presiding judge will decide between life without parole or parole after at least 25 years, as the death penalty is not available due to Thompson's age.
- Neighbors and victims' families reacted to lawyers' statement that Thompson seeks to spare the community further trauma, citing serious brain injury, diminished capacity claims, a Jan. 11, 2026 seizure, and motions requesting medical safeguards in court.
22 Articles
22 Articles
abc11 Raleigh
WWAY TVAustin Thompson to plead guilty in Hedingham deadly shooting that killed 5 in Raleigh
Austin Thompson is charged with killing Nicole Connors, Susan Karnataz, Mary Marshall, Gabriel Torres, James Thompson, his brother, on Oct 13, 2022
Associated Press News
18-year-old to plead guilty to North Carolina shooting that left 5 dead, lawyers say
Attorneys say an 18-year-old suspect plans to plead guilty to a 2022 mass shooting in North Carolina that left five people dead and two wounded.
18-Year-Old to Plead Guilty to North Carolina Shooting that Left 5 Dead, Lawyers Say | Headline USA
(Headline USA) An 18-year-old plans to plead guilty to a 2022 mass shooting in North Carolina that left five people dead — including his older brother — avoiding a trial next month, his attorneys said Tuesday. A written notice filed in Wake County court by the lawyers for Austin Thompson said their client intends to plead guilty to all charges against him. Thompson was 15 when authorities believe he went on a killing rampage on Oct. 13, 2022, be…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
