North Carolina nature trail teen shooter in ‘grave condition’ as 5 victims identified
The five victims killed by a teenage shooter in North Carolina have all been identified.
The 15-year-old shooter in a residential Raleigh neighborhood is still hospitalized and in serious condition. One of his victims was confirmed to be his 16-year-old brother, James Thompson.
James, who was previously unidentified, was a junior at Knightdale High School.
Witnesses said the shooter was wearing camouflage clothing, black boots, and a camo backpack while carrying a long barrel shotgun.
He eluded capture by authorities for hours by hiding out on Raleigh’s Neuse River Greenway hiking trail. He was finally cornered and captured around 9.30 that night.
The other victims killed in the rampage were Mary Marshall, Nicole Conners, Susan Karnatz, and off-duty Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres.
Torres, 29, was on his way to work when the shooting broke out on the streets of the Hedingham neighborhood. Neighbors said he was a Marine Corp veteran and survived by his wife and a 2-year-old daughter.
Karnatz, 49, is survived by her husband Tom and three sons. ‘She was a very loving wife and amazing mother to our three sons,’ Tom said. ‘We’re absolutely heartbroken and miss her dearly.’
In a post on Facebook, Tom eulogized his wife and their life together: ‘we had plans together with the boys. And we had plans together as empty nesters. We had plans together for growing old. Always together. Now those plans are laid to waste.’
Mary Marshall, 34, was walking her dog when she was shot. She is survived by her fiancé Robert Steele. ‘I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do. My world has been completely destroyed,’ Steele said in a post on Facebook.
Two others were injured in Thursday’s attack. Marcille Gardner, 59, was hospitalized and still is still in critical condition.
Officer Casey Clark, a K-9 officer at the Raleigh Police Department, was injured in the shootout. He was taken to an area hospital and released in stable condition on Friday.
President Biden spoke out about the tragedy on Friday afternoon. He said he was working closely with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and thanked law enforcement for their timely response on Thursday night.
But the President also expressed frustration. ‘Enough. We’ve grieved and prayed with too many families who have had to bear the terrible burden of these mass shootings,’ Biden stated. ‘Too many families have had spouses, parents, and children taken from them forever. This year, and even in just the five months since Buffalo and Uvalde, there are too many mass shootings across America, including ones that don’t even make the national news.’
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