Calls to the Raleigh, N.C. police, started coming in at 5:09 p.m. on Oct. 13: A young man was stalking through a quiet neighborhood, clad in camouflage, carrying a shotgun, with a handgun in his waistband and a hunting knife hooked to his belt. He was shooting people he encountered on his path, leaving victims gravely wounded in a car, in a driveway, on a front porch and along a nearby walking path. In a home, officers discovered a 16-year-old boy who had been fatally shot and stabbed. The suspect, 15, was critically injured in a shootout with police.
Raleigh police released a preliminary report on Thursday that provides the fullest narrative yet from investigators on the attacks that left five people dead, two injured and a community rattled by a staggering burst of violence, reports the New York Times. A memo by Police Chief Estella Patterson shared the chilling details of how the attacks unfolded but did not answer a number of crucial questions, including the motive for the attack. Authorities have not disclosed the name of the suspect, noting that he is a juvenile. This week, his parents released a statement identifying him. “Our son Austin inflicted immeasurable pain on the Raleigh community,” said Alan and Elise Thompson. The Thompsons said they were overwhelmed with grief and concern for the families of the victims, including the two who survived the attack. Their son James was among the dead. “We have so many unanswered questions,” the parents said. “There were never any indications or warning signs that Austin was capable of doing anything like this. If young Thompson survives, he will e charged as an adult.