The medical condition of the suspected gunman in last week’s Raleigh mass shooting has improved, the 15-year-old boy’s mother told WRAL News.
Austin Thompson was moved Monday night to the pediatric intensive care unit at WakeMed, according to his mother, Elise Thompson. The boy had previously been listed in critical condition.
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Elise and Alan Thompson said there were no warning signs of what their son was capable of.
They released a written statement Tuesday, their first since the Oct. 13 massacre:
“Words cannot begin to describe our anguish and sorrow.
“Our son Austin inflicted immeasurable pain on the Raleigh community, and we are overcome with grief for the innocent lives lost. We pray for the families and loved ones of Nicole Conners, Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshall, and Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres. We mourn for their loss and for the loss of our son, James.
“We pray that Marcille “Lynn” Gardner and Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark fully recover from their injuries, and we pray for everyone who was traumatized by these senseless acts of violence.
“We have so many unanswered questions. There were never any indications or warning signs that Austin was capable of doing anything like this. Our family will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do whatever we can to help them understand why and how this happened.”
Alan and Elise Thompson wrote that they are not planning to conduct interviews with media members.
Sources tell WRAL News that Austin Thompson opened fire in the streets of the east Raleigh neighborhood and on an adjacent greenway on Oct. 13 when five people were shot to death, including his own 16-year-old brother, James Thompson.
A celebration of life is planned for James Thompson at 7 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Baptist Church at 4815 Six Forks Road. James was a junior at Knightdale High School, according to his obituary. His family said James enjoyed deep-sea fishing and video games. He also played Upward Basketball and video games. James Thompson also enjoyed visits with his grandmother, amusement parks, sporting events and trips to the beach and mountains.
Dr. Jeff Roberts will preside over James Thompson's celebration of life.
"We are praying today for all the families who lost loved ones and friends whose lives have been altered," Roberts said on Sunday. "We're lifting all of our community up with our prayers."
James Thompson would have turned 17 in January.
In addition to the five people killed, two others were were injured. One of them was a Raleigh police officer, who was treated and released from the hospital. Marcielle Gardner, 59, was still at WakeMed on Friday in critical condition.
Law enforcement tracked Austin Thompson to an outbuilding on a property on McConnell Oliver Drive, about six miles from his home, and took him into custody.
Sources tell WRAL News that Austin Thompson has multiple injuries, including a gunshot wound to the head.
The Wake County prosecutor has said she will pursue adult charges against the suspect. Authorities had previously identified the shooter as a 15-year-old boy but had not publicly released the name.
Sources told WRAL the suspect had at least two guns. During a standoff with the suspect, Raleigh police radio traffic made mention of those guns.
The five-day report typically provides a detailed narrative and timeline of events. The police department is expected to release the report on Thursday.