RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The suspected gunman in Raleigh’s mass shooting last October will be tried as an adult, the Wake County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.
The decision was made during a hearing Wednesday morning in Wake County Superior Court.
The case has now been transferred to Superior Court, where mass shooting suspect Austin Thompson will face his charges as an adult.
Thompson is accused of killing five people and injuring two others in the Oct. 13, 2022 mass shooting in Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood.
The Grand Jury of Wake County previously returned indictments against Thompson for five counts of murder in the deaths of Gabriel Torres, James Roger Thompson, Mary Elizabeth Marshall, Nicole Connors and Susan Karnartz.
The Wake County District Attorney’s Office said Thompson was also indicted for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury for injuring Marcille Lynn Gardner.
For the injuries sustained by Raleigh police officer C. Clark, Thompson was also indicted for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury, and assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer.
These indictments are now public after Wednesday morning’s hearing the ruling by the judge.
Austin Thompson’s father, Alan Thompson, is now charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor, the district attorney’s office said Wednesday.
The Wake County District Attorney authorized the Raleigh Police Department to cite him with one count of storing a firearm in a manner accessible to a minor, which violates North Carolina General Statute 14-315.1.
The pending cases against Austin Thompson will next be set on the Nov. 6 Superior Court Motions and Arraignment calendar.
He is currently being held without bond.