Five people, including an off-duty Raleigh police officer, were killed in a shooting spree in North Carolina’s capital city Thursday. Two others were wounded.
A juvenile is now in custody and an investigation underway, after shots were fired near Raleigh’s Neuse River Greenway, Reuters reported. The shooting began just after 5 p.m., ending with the suspect “contained” around 8 p.m. after law enforcement and emergency personnel flooded the area, CNN said. Raleigh police advised residents to shelter in place as law enforcement worked to contain the scene and launched a massive manhunt for the suspect, according to the outlet.
Residents in the area of McConnell Oliver Drive, Tarheel Club Drive, and Old Milburnie Road are being advised to remain indoors. Drivers are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
— Raleigh Police (@raleighpolice) October 13, 2022
One witness reported gunshots just outside his back window and spotted the shooter dressed in camouflage with a long-barrel gun, according to WRAL News. Police made an arrest at 9:37 p.m., authorities told ABC 7. The suspect “was taken into custody with life threatening injuries … It is unknown if the suspect’s injuries are self-inflicted,” according to a federal memo cited by the outlet. (RELATED: 3 Cops Shot In Standoff In North Carolina)
“Today has a very difficult day in our city,” Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said Thursday, according to CNN. “We pray that something like this will never happen here. It did,” Baldwin continued. North Carolina’s Governor Roy Cooper joined Baldwin in condemning the violence, calling Thursday’s shooting a “senseless horrific and infuriating act of violence that has been committed,” ABC 7 reported. The Democrat governor again used the “awful tragedy” as an opportunity to denounce gun violence and promote policy change while speaking to reporters Friday.
The crime scene covers more than two miles and remains under investigation, Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson confirmed in a Friday press conference. One of those injured has been released from the hospital and a second remains in critical condition, the police chief said. The 16-year-old suspect is currently hospitalized and in critical condition, according to Patterson.
