Victims’ Families, Survivors File Lawsuit Two Years After Hedingham Mass Shooting

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Good morning, readers.

Two years after the tragic mass shooting in northeastern Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood, survivors and victims’ family members are suing the accused shooter, his parents, the Hedingham homeowner’s association, and the private security firm hired to patrol the neighborhood.

The 162-page lawsuit alleges that the Hedingham Community Association and Capitol Special Police, the security firm, received warnings about the accused shooter, 15-year-old Austin Thompson, but failed to act. 

The suit further alleges that Thompson’s parents allowed their son unfettered access to an “arsenal” of weapons, enabling him to commit the shooting.

The plaintiffs are family members of Hedingham residents Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshall, Nicole Connors-Howard, and Raleigh police officer Gabriel Torres, who Thompson shot and killed that day, as well as Marcille Gardner and another police officer, Casey Clark, who survived the shooting with serious injuries. 

They are asking for damages from all defendants and a jury trial. 

This lawsuit contains disturbing new details about the accused shooter. Prior to October 2022, neighbors allegedly told the homeowners’ association and private security firm that the accused shooter “had gotten into fights with people in the neighborhood,” “used racial slurs,” “seemed to pick on women especially,” and “talked a lot about getting weapons and bullets.” One neighbor even reported the accused shooter to the HOA for suspicious behavior just days before the shooting.

According to the lawsuit, neither the HOA nor the security firm took action in response to any of these warnings.

Read the full story and view the complaint here.

—Chloe

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