The Raleigh community continued to react and recover Friday morning from a mass shooting that shook the state’s capitol city and left five people dead. A few miles west, law enforcement agencies in Orange County offered their support and sympathy to those affected by the murders.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Chapel Hill Police Department and Carrboro Police Department each shared social media posts featuring photos of the Raleigh Police Department badge, since one of the department’s off-duty officers was among those killed Thursday evening. Posts from Carrboro Police and the sheriff’s office also offered condolences to the other families and victims of the shooting.

While Thursday’s shooting happened around 45 minutes away from the Orange County lines, the length and severity of the incident gripped many Triangle residents. Raleigh Police said Friday the shooter, who is a 15-year-old white male, initially opened fire along a walking trail near a neighborhood east of North Carolina’s capitol city after 5 p.m. A hunt for the suspect then lasted hours, as he eluded officers and nearby residents were instructed to shelter in place. Authorities later captured the suspect shortly after 9:30 p.m., saying he was taken to a nearby trauma center in critical condition.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper called the murders a “senseless, horrific and infuriating act of violence” during a press conference Thursday night. He shared more thoughts during an event Friday morning, calling for an end to gun violence and announcing that the state flags will be flown at half-staff.

“No neighborhood, no parent, no child, no one should feel this fear in their communities,” said the governor. “We’re standing with the victims and their families in this moment of unspeakable agony.”

Photo via Robert Willett/The News & Observer and Associated Press.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Related Stories
‹
Police: 3 Arrested After Vehicle Break-Ins, Shots Fired in Chapel Hill
A series of vehicle break-ins and gunfire in a Chapel Hill neighborhood Thursday morning led to a trio of arrests, according to local authorities.
Police: 5 Killed, Including Officer, in N. Carolina Shooting
Written by HANNAH SCHOENBAUM and STEFANIE DAZIO The shooter who killed five people along a walking trail in North Carolina’s capital city is a 15-year-old boy who has been hospitalized in critical condition, police said Friday. Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson told reporters that the suspect opened fire Thursday on a greenway in an area […]
Race And Policing: Are We Addressing The Issue The Right Way?
How best to address racial disparities in policing? Locally, all sides are eager to come to the table.
Local Police Plan Public Forums On Militarization Concerns
In a joint statement, local law enforcement officials In Orange County reiterate their commitment to community policing and invite public feedback.
The Orange County Trial Over 2 Teens' Violent Deaths Begins. Here's What to Know
Three years after the deaths of Lyric Woods and Devin Clark in rural Orange County, the prosecution and defense will fully argue their cases.
What to Know About the Attack on the Hannukah Festival in Australia That Killed 15 People
A father and son are suspected by officials to have killed 15 people on a popular Australian beach, shocking a country where gun violence is rare.
Shooting Near W. Franklin Street Injures 1; Chapel Hill Police Arrest Suspect
The Chapel Hill Police Department is investigating a shooting along West Franklin Street Thursday evening which sent one person to the hospital.
Update: 2 Arrested After Gunfire at North Roberson Street
The Chapel Hill Police Department is investigating reports of shots fired at the edge of the Northside neighborhood early Wednesday morning.
Florida State Gunman Used Deputy Mom’s Former Service Weapon To Kill 2 and Wound 6, Authorities Say
The 20-year-old son of a sheriff’s deputy opened fire Thursday at Florida State University with his mother’s former service weapon, killing two men and wounding at least six others, investigators said.
Chapel Hill Police Identify, Charge Third in High-Speed Chase and Shooting From January
Chapel Hill Police delivered 17 charges stemming from the Jan. 25 shooting to 19-year-old Maurice Keys as he was held in Durham County.
›