Teen pleads guilty to North Carolina mass shooting that killed 5

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Updated 8:25 PM CST, January 21, 2026

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An 18-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder and other charges for a mass shooting in North Carolina, acknowledging that he carried out a 2022 killing rampage that left five people dead, including his older brother and a police officer.

Austin David Thompson, who was 15 at the time of the attack that authorities say began in his Raleigh neighborhood, had been poised to go on trial in state court in less than two weeks.

Instead, Thompson’s attorneys, who for months had filed pretrial motions designed to limit certain testimony and evidence, announced Tuesday that he planned to plead guilty to all charges against him. His attorneys wrote that avoiding a trial would “save the community and the victims from as much additional infliction of trauma as possible.”

Thompson, wearing a quarter-zip sweater and slacks, offered few words while Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway questioned him and accepted his pleas. He pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault of an officer with a gun.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-mass-shooting-plea-e33aa4a5763c033e10139fab11d150fe

[littlemissmartypants]

1. I see the psychopathic stare.

There's a question about motive. Seriously?

I'm going to guess, yte guy radicalized by great replacement theory. Anyone?

Also, has anyone explored the link here between IPV and mass shootings? This looks like a test case. 🤷‍♀️

[Bengus81]

2. Yet Trump will arrest, lock up and deport people for picking lettuce

[twodogsbarking]

3. There is no happy ending. Humans are the most violent of animals.

[OldBaldy1701E]

4. The sooner we get this through our heads, the better off we will be.

The human ego is so vast, though. Even with reams of evidence, it will deny and double down. Just because it does not want to feel bad about being wrong.

We have let this attitude continue without addressing it at all. Hell, in some circles, it is considered a positive thing!

Like my good friend always says: "People suck. All people suck. But, a few of us realize that we suck and try to not suck as badly!"

I just wish more of us took that statement to heart.

[wolfie001]

6. I say that about US companies

They're all shit, it's the level of shit that makes the difference

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. You grok well! (n/t)

[wolfie001]

5. incel poster boy

I hope every day in prison is a nightmare.

[OldBaldy1701E]

8. Back in the day, I knew a number of North Raleigh boys who might have become this person.

Entitlement, arrogance, and ego. It is fed to them every day from every corner.

"We are monkeys with money and guns." - Tom Waits.