RALEIGH, N.C. — The parents of the teen gunman who police said murdered five people and injured two others in Raleigh's mass shooting spoke out, according to CBS affiliate WNCN.
Alan and Elise Thompson released a written statement:
“Words cannot begin to describe our anguish and sorrow."
“Our son Austin inflicted immeasurable pain on the Raleigh community, and we are overcome with grief for the innocent lives lost. We pray for the families and loved ones of Nicole Conners, Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshall, and Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres. We mourn for their loss and for the loss of our son, James.
“We pray that Marcille “Lynn” Gardner and Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark fully recover from their injuries, and we pray for everyone who was traumatized by these senseless acts of violence.
“We have so many unanswered questions. There were never any indications or warning signs that Austin was capable of doing anything like this. Our family will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do whatever we can to help them understand why and how this happened.”
Thursday, Oct. 13, police were called around 5:30 p.m. to Neuse River Greenway and Osprey Cove Drive, and Bay Harbor Drive when a 15-year-old boy shot two people in the streets of the Hedingham neighborhood, then went toward a walking trail, where he shot three more people and injured two others.
Austin is still in critical condition from a gunshot wound to the head.