Families of Raleigh shooting victims file a lawsuit claiming the homeowners association and private police ignored warning signs before the mass shooting. Austin Thompson is set to stand trial in 2025.
North Carolina, BollywoodFever: In the aftermath of the October 13, 2022, mass shooting in Raleigh, North Carolina, where 15-year-old Austin Thompson allegedly killed five people and injured two others, the families of the victims have filed a 162-page lawsuit.
The suit targets Thompson, his parents, the homeowners association of the Hedingham neighborhood, and the private police force that patrolled the area.
According to CBS 17, the lawsuit claims that neighbors and victims had reported Thompson’s antisocial, racist, and violent behavior well before the shooting. Neighbors described him as “aggressive, creepy, and off,” and several victims had filed complaints against him in the days leading up to the tragic event.
One of Thompson’s victims, 52-year-old Nicole Connors, a Black woman, had an altercation with Thompson just days before the shooting, during which he allegedly used racial slurs. Connors was shot 34 times during the attack, more than any other victim.
The lawsuit further alleges that Thompson was seen in the neighborhood with a backpack full of supplies just days before the shooting, following the same path he would take during his rampage. It also claims that Thompson and his father, Alan Thompson, would often brag about their collection of firearms.
Despite these warning signs, the plaintiffs argue that the private police force, Capitol Special Police, failed to act on reports of gunfire in the neighborhood on the day of the shooting. The lawsuit accuses them of not taking appropriate measures to prevent the tragedy, including failing to alert the Raleigh police promptly.
Kelly Gardner, an attorney for Thompson’s parents, has denied that they were aware of any violent tendencies in their son, stating, “Austin had no history of mental illness, and there were no prior diagnoses.” His father, Alan, has since pleaded guilty to leaving a loaded gun on his nightstand, which was used in the shooting. He received a sentence of one year of unsupervised probation.
The incident, which shocked the Raleigh community, began when Thompson allegedly killed his 16-year-old brother, James, at their home before moving through the neighborhood and along a popular trail, targeting additional victims. Among those killed were Connors, Officer Gabriel Torres, 29, Susan Karantz, 49, and Mary Marshall, 35, who was due to be married just one day after her burial.
Thompson, who is currently facing charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, will stand trial in September 2025 as an adult.
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