North Carolina Teen Faces Sentencing for 2022 Killing Spree

Austin Thompson, the North Carolina teenager responsible for killing his brother and four neighbors during a violent rampage in 2022, appeared in court Tuesday as sentencing proceedings began.

Thompson, now 18, pleaded guilty on Jan. 21 to five counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assault on a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors said the plea was intended to spare victims’ families from the trauma of a lengthy trial.

A court filing stated that Thompson chose to plead guilty “to save the community and the victims from as much additional infliction of trauma as possible.”

Attack Began Inside Family Home

The violence began on Oct. 13, 2022, at Thompson’s home in Raleigh. According to court filings, Thompson, who was 15 at the time, shot his 16-year-old brother in the head with a .22-caliber rifle after the two had returned home from school and were playing video games.

The brother initially survived the gunshot but later died after Thompson stabbed him multiple times. Prosecutors said Thompson then spent approximately 30 minutes gathering additional firearms and ammunition inside the home.

Court documents said Thompson changed into camouflage clothing and packed a backpack with supplies including food, water, cash, ammunition, knives, and first aid materials before leaving the house armed with a shotgun and a handgun.

Neighbors Targeted During Rampage

Prosecutors said Thompson next encountered neighbors Nichole Connors and Lynn Gardner as they prepared to walk their dogs. Surveillance video shows Thompson crouching as he approached before opening fire, according to the filing. Connors and her dog were killed, while Gardner survived and was able to provide a description of the shooter.

Gardner told investigators that as Thompson stood over her, she asked why he was doing this.

Officer and Additional Victims Killed

Video evidence later showed Thompson approaching a vehicle parked in a driveway, where he fatally shot Gabriel Torres, a Raleigh police officer who was heading to work.

Torres’ widow, Jasmin Torres, addressed the court during the sentencing hearing, recounting the moment she realized her husband had been shot. She said she was on the phone with him when she heard gunshots and he told her he was going to check on the situation.

“I tried to stop the bleeding,” she told the court. “I had my fingers in every wound that I could get to, and I used my other hand to prop up his neck. I tried to help him so that he could breathe.”

She said she later learned of his death through a news alert while waiting at the hospital.

Prosecutors said Thompson went on to fatally shoot Mary Marshall, who was attempting to retrieve her dog, and Susan Karnatz, who had been out for a jog in the neighborhood.

Families Describe Lasting Impact

Susan Karnatz’s husband, Tom Karnatz, told the court that he realized something was wrong when his wife failed to return home from her run. He said he checked her location and drove toward the area.

“My thought was I would go close to where the location was and pick her up and bring her home,” he said. “As more time went on and I learned more information, my thoughts of bringing her home and hope that she would be OK kind of kept sinking.”

He said he knew she was a victim when a detective asked him to describe what she had been wearing.

Rampage Ends With Arrest

Authorities said Thompson fled into nearby woods after the shootings. Law enforcement later spotted him on a roadway and moved in with officers and police dogs. Thompson shot himself in the head but survived and was taken into custody.

Investigators said interviews with Thompson’s parents and teachers did not reveal a clear motive. A review of his phone and computer showed he had researched mass shootings, authorities said.

Sentencing Outcome Pending

The sentencing hearing is expected to continue, with family impact statements playing a central role. The court has not yet announced when a final sentence will be imposed.

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