Updated at 5:40 p.m.
A 15-year-old boy began shooting in the streets of a middle class Raleigh neighborhood, then fled toward a popular walking trail where he opened fire in an attack that left five people dead, two injured and authorities searching for a motive, police said Friday.
Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said the hours after the the victims were gunned down Thursday evening. He was hospitalized and in critical condition following his arrest. Authorities have not said how he was injured.
The victims were different races and ranged in age from 16 to their late 50s, Patterson said. Family members and friends said they were gunned down while doing normal, everyday activities 鈥� an off-duty police officer was killed while on his way to work, one of the women who was killed was on her porch talking to a neighbor, and another woman who died was out walking her dog.
The teen, who was not immediately identified by police, eluded officers for hours 鈥� setting off a manhunt across a crime scene that stretched for 2 miles (3 kilometers) 鈥� before he was cornered in a home and arrested, Patterson said.
Gov. Roy Cooper called the shooting an 鈥渋nfuriating and tragic act of gun violence.鈥�
鈥淭oday we鈥檙e sad, we鈥檙e angry and we want to know the answers to all the questions," Cooper said. 鈥淚 think we all know the core truth 鈥� no neighborhood, no parent, no child, no grandparent, no one should feel this fear in their communities 鈥� no one.鈥�
The gunfire broke out around 5 p.m. Thursday in a residential area northeast of downtown, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. Officers from numerous law enforcement agencies swarmed the area, closing roads and warning residents to stay inside while they searched for the shooter.
The Hedingham neighborhood, where the shooting began, is a residential area of single family and town homes, as well as a golf club. The Neuse River Greenway, a walking and biking trail, runs just behind houses in the neighborhood. The trail runs about 27 miles (43 kilometers) along the river and connects to the state鈥檚 Mountains-to-Sea Trail that鈥檚 popular with thru-hikers. The stretch behind the neighborhood is paved and lies down a grassy slope from the houses.
Police say Officer Gabriel Torres, 29, was among the five killed. He was off-duty and on his way to work when the shooting began. The other victims were Nicole Connors, 52; Mary Marshall, 34; Susan Karnatz, 49; and James Roger Thompson, 16. Connors' husband told The Associated Press she was on the porch and talking to a neighbor when she was killed. Marshall's sister told NBC 瓜神app that she was out walking her dog, Scruff.
Marcille Lynn Gardner, 59, was talking to Connors when she was shot. Gardner remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday. A second police officer, Casey Joseph Clark, 33, was also wounded and released from the hospital.
Karnatz鈥檚 husband, Tom Karnatz, said she was an avid runner who often ran on the greenway.
鈥淪he was a very loving wife and amazing mother to our three sons,鈥� he said through tears when he answered the door at the family鈥檚 home Friday. 鈥淲e鈥檙e absolutely heartbroken and miss her dearly.鈥�
In the driveway, a silver minivan and a Toyota Camry had matching 26.2 stickers 鈥� symbolizing the miles of a marathon. The minivan鈥檚 license plate read simply: 鈥淩UNNR.鈥�
Woodrow Glass, a 74-year-old retiree and neighbor of Connors, said he talked to her nearly every day as she walked her small dog.
鈥淪he was friendly with everybody in the neighborhood, spoke with everybody ... and was really respected here. And we鈥檙e going to miss her," he said.
Baldwin said the shooting has brought home the need to 鈥渆nd senseless gun violence that has grips on our country and now on our city.鈥�
鈥淲e have to do something,鈥� she said.
In a statement Friday, President Joe Biden said he and First Lady Jill Biden are grieving with victims' families, and his administration is working closely with Cooper to help local authorities with their investigation.
鈥淲e are thinking of yet another community shaken and shattered as they mourn the loss of friends and neighbors, including an off-duty police officer,鈥� he said, adding: 鈥淓nough. We鈥檝e grieved and prayed with too many families who have had to bear the terrible burden of these mass shootings."
Omer Rosas, a sophomore at Knightdale High School, said he was shocked to learn Friday that his classmate was arrested in connection with the shooting.
鈥淚 did not expect it to be him,鈥� Rosas told the AP. 鈥淗e was very calm. He wasn鈥檛 like a mean person. He was open to be nice to everyone.鈥�
Rosas said the teen is personable and athletic 鈥� a smaller guy who enjoys running and was considering joining the school鈥檚 track team.
Under North Carolina law, crimes committed by 15-year-olds are usually adjudicated in juvenile court. But a juvenile court judge must transfer a case to Superior Court for a youth to be tried as an adult if a 15-year-old is accused of first-degree murder and the judge determines there is probable cause that the teen committed the crime. Authorities have not commented on what charges the teen could face.
The Raleigh shooting was the latest in a violent week across the country. Five people were killed Sunday in a shooting at a home in Inman, South Carolina. On Wednesday night two police officers were fatally shot in Connecticut after apparently by an emergency call about possible domestic violence. Police officers have been shot this week in ; ; , and . Two of those officers, one in Greenville and one Las Vegas, were killed.
Thursday鈥檚 violence was the 25th mass killing in 2022 in which the victims were fatally shot, according to The Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killings database. A mass killing is defined as when four or more people are killed excluding the perpetrator.
The walking trail was quieter than usual Friday. Sara Cutter, 31, said she sensed 鈥渁 lingering sadness over Raleigh鈥� as she walked the greenway, about a mile from the shootings. She said the shooting won't deter her from using the trail, but she will be more vigilant and probably won't walk alone anymore.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all hurting today, the entire city,鈥� Cutter said. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen some somber faces while I鈥檝e been out walking today. But it鈥檚 also been good to see people out. The community 鈥� that鈥檚 what will get us through.鈥�
