Suspected gunman's parents release first statement since Oct. 13 mass shooting in Raleigh neighborhood
VICTIMS THROUGH A GOFUNDME PAGE
AS THEIR LOVED ONES PLAN THEIR
FUNERALS. WE ARE CAREFULLY
GOING THROUGH A STATEMENT FROM
THE PARENTS OF THE RALEIGH MASS
SHOOTING SUSPECT AUSTIN
THOMPSON. THIS IS THEIR FIRST
PUBLIC STATEMENT SINCE THE
SHOOTING LAST THURSDAY. THE
BUREAU'S CHRIS LOVINGOOD HAS
BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE FAMILY
AND JOINS US NOW. CHRIS, PEOPLE
HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
PARENTS. WELL, GERALD AND THOSE
ARE QUESTIONS THEY CAN'T ANSWER
RIGHT NOW, THOUGH. WE DO WANT
TO KNOW HOW THE SUSPECTED
SHOOTER GOT ACCESS TO THE
WEAPON USED, BUT HERE'S WHAT
ALAN, THE LEASE THOMPSON COULD
SAY.
>> WITH
143 WORDS, ALLEN AND ELISE
THOMPSON CONVEY WHAT THEY'RE
FEELING DAYS AFTER 5 PEOPLE
WERE KILLED IN A MASS SHOOTING
IN RALEIGH, INCLUDING ONE OF
THEIR SONS. JAMES, AS THEIR
OTHER SON, AUSTIN IS THE
SUSPECTED SHOOTER. THEY BEGIN
BY SAYING, QUOTE, WORDS CANNOT
BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE ANGUISH
AND SORROW. OUR SON AUSTIN
INFLICTED IMMEASURABLE PAIN
ON THE RALEIGH COMMUNITY AND WE
ARE OVERCOME WITH GRIEF FOR
THE INNOCENT LIVES LOST THE
THOMPSONS, THEN TALK ABOUT THE
VICTIMS WHO WERE KILLED SAYING,
QUOTE, WE PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES
AND LOVED ONES OF NICOLE
CONNORS SUSAN CARD. THAT'S MARY
MARSHALL AND RALEIGH POLICE
OFFICER GABRIEL TORRES. THEY
ALSO SAID THEY MOURN FOR THE
LOSS OF THEIR SON. JAMES, THE
THOMPSONS AND THEIR STATEMENT
SAYING, QUOTE, WE HAVE SO MANY
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND THERE
WERE NEVER ANY INDICATIONS OR
WARNING SIGNS THAT AUSTIN WAS
CAPABLE OF DOING ANYTHING LIKE
THIS.
THE THOMPSON SAY THEY ARE FULLY
COOPERATING WITH INVESTIGATORS
AND THEY IN THEIR STATEMENT
SAYING
>> THEY WANT TO HELP POLICE
UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW THIS
HAPPENED. AND AGAIN, JOHN, WE
HAVE SO MANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
WE WANT TO ASK. WE'LL, OF