Executive Summary
- Austin Thompson pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree murder regarding the 2022 Hedingham mass shooting.
- The plea was entered to spare the community and victims’ families the trauma of a trial.
- Sentencing is scheduled for February, bypassing the jury trial originally set to begin next month.
- Victim families expressed relief, citing the overwhelming evidence against the shooter.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Austin Thompson, the accused gunman in the October 2022 mass shooting in Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood, pleaded guilty to all charges on Wednesday in Wake County Superior Court, effectively cancelling a trial that was set to begin next month.
According to court filings submitted by his defense team, Thompson entered guilty pleas to five counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault on a law enforcement officer. The charges stem from the rampage on October 13, 2022, which resulted in the deaths of five people, including the shooter’s brother and an off-duty police officer.
In a three-page motion filed Tuesday, Thompson—who was 15 years old at the time of the incident—stated his intention to plead guilty to spare the victims’ families and the wider community the trauma of a prolonged trial. While defense attorneys noted in the filings that a serious brain injury prevents Thompson from explaining his specific motives, the documents confirm his full acceptance of responsibility for the violence. The defense had previously filed motions citing “diminished capacity” and requested the presence of a medical professional during proceedings due to the defendant’s seizure risk.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman confirmed that her office is prepared to accept the plea, allowing the case to move directly to the penalty phase. Robert Steele, the fiancé of victim Mary Marshall, expressed relief at the development. “The evidence was just overwhelming and it should have been done a year ago,” Steele told reporters. “Closure is going to make it easier to finally move on.”
Judicial Proceedings & Sentencing Outlook
The entry of a guilty plea in a capital murder case involving a juvenile offender shifts the judicial focus entirely from establishing guilt to determining the appropriate penalty. By bypassing the trial phase, the court eliminates the need for jury selection, a process that legal experts noted would have been complicated by the case’s high publicity. The upcoming sentencing hearing, scheduled for February, will likely focus on victim impact statements and the defense’s presentation of mitigating factors regarding the defendant’s neurological health. It is important to note that while this plea serves as an admission of guilt, the formal legal process requires the court to finalize sentencing to conclude the case.
