RALEIGH, N.C. (Court TV) —A Wake County judge has sentenced Austin Thompson to five consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, ruling that the teen gunman is among the rare juvenile offenders whose crimes demonstrate permanent and irreparable corruption.
Austin Thompson enters the courtroom for his sentencing hearing on Feb. 13, 2026. (Court TV)
Thompson, who was 15 at the time of the October 13, 2022, mass shooting in a Raleigh neighborhood, pleaded guilty earlier this year to five counts of first-degree murder and multiple attempted murder and assault charges. The shooting spree left five people dead — including his 16-year-old brother, James, and a Raleigh police officer — and wounded two others.
Because Thompson was a juvenile at the time of the crimes, he was not eligible for the death penalty. Instead, the court held a sentencing hearing to determine whether he would ever be eligible for parole.
Over two weeks, the court heard from 39 witnesses and considered extensive mitigating evidence related to Thompson’s age, maturity, mental health and potential for rehabilitation. Under North Carolina law, a judge may impose life without parole only if the offender is found to be permanently incorrigible.
Judge Paul Ridgeway concluded that the standard was met.
Judge Paul Ridgeway delivers his ruling from the bench during sentencing. (Court TV)
In a detailed ruling from the bench, Ridgeway described months of preparation and research by Thompson prior to the rampage, including online searches related to mass killings, explosives and sentencing consequences for violent crimes. The judge referenced a handwritten note left after the killings in which Thompson asserted he was sane and expressed no regret, calling it evidence that Thompson understood both his actions and the risks involved.
The court rejected the defense theory that Thompson experienced a rare dissociative side effect from the acne medication Minocycline. After hearing expert testimony, Ridgeway found the medical evidence did not support the claim and said Thompson’s conduct before, during and after the attacks demonstrated deliberation and awareness.
Before announcing the sentence, the judge turned his attention to the victims, describing the lasting impact on their families. Emotional moments unfolded in the courtroom gallery as loved ones listened.
Thompson received:
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Life without parole for the murders of James Thompson, Nicole Connors, Officer Gabriel Torres, Mary Marshall and Susan Susan Karnatz — all to run consecutively.
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Additional consecutive prison terms of 157 to 201 months for the attempted murders of Lynn Garner and Casey Clark.
The defense immediately filed notice of appeal.
This story was written with the assistance of AI using information gathered and verified by a human journalist. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy before publication.
