First off, I am sorry for all who lost someone (5 dead including an off duty cop) and I hope the injured can get and afford all the medical care they need. May all the families and friends involved find peace and healing in this difficult time.
This happened last night in the Hedingham neighorhood in Raleigh. Local coverage: www.wral.com/…
I’m a quite surprised this made the national news. CNN coverage:www.cnn.com/… They even took a break from their all politics all the time morning show to mention it.
Given how many shootings there are every day, and with the number injured I’m not sure why this one got much press beyond something on the evening news while the manhunt, well boy hunt, was on and they were asking people to shelter in place in that neighborhood and locals would know which roads were closed.
Was it that an off-duty officer was killed? Was it that they say the shooter was likely 13-16? Was it that it was a neighborhood rather than at a school? Is it because the state fair is going on in Raleigh?
All we know about the suspect is the 911 call info about him and that he was taken alive and to the hospital with injuries.
From the CNN link above:
The shooting began just after 5 p.m. in the neighborhood of Hedingham near the Neuse River Greenway, officials said. A manhunt ensued as authorities worked to apprehend the suspect.
Police “contained” the suspect around 8 p.m. inside a residence in the area, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin told reporters Thursday.
There is a golf club in the neighborhood and people there reported seeing a large number of police streaming by. So maybe the average home price just north of $300K is part of why this is national news?
Yes, this terrified a lot of people, yes this changed the life of many families, and yeah reading that the 911 call noted (WRAL link above) “I saw him basically pass my house in the backyard. He had a long-barrel shotgun. He was dressed in camo. He had a full backpack on that was also camouflage." should terrify me as if it can happen there, it can happen in any neighborhood, even my own a couple of counties over.
Yet mostly what I find is cynicism, why is this news? It feels like any other Thursday evening in America. So many other shootings of this size and as tragic barely seem to even make the local news. Would it have if it was a poor neighborhood on the other side of town?
Wondering how I get my outrage back?
Note: Age was just released, shooter was 15 and in critical condition. The press conference that started while I was writing this can be found here: www.wral.com/
Other updates from the morning after press conference:
At least we have a Democratic Governor who at least calls for an end to this senseless violence, not that anything will be done, but at least he seems sincere that this shouldn’t be happening.
Injured noted:
Unnamed officer, treated and released
59 year old Marcel Gardener who is still in critical condition
The dead who were identified
Nicole Conners, 52
Susan Carnet, 49
Mary Marshall, 35
Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres, 29
16 year old White Male
Crime scene is over 2 miles long, investigation ongoing.
Officer Torres was on his way to work when this happened.
The police chief was on her way home from a conference on gun violence when she was first alerted to the situation.
First shootings occurred outside in the neighbor. Shooter went to the green way in the area where the additional people were shot.
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Editing to add
NPR released the two additional names. www.npr.org/...
Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark 33 was treated and released.
16 year old male killed was James Roger Thompson.
And the link out from here to the WUNC story www.wunc.org/…
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Editing to add
So about Inman SC, which I mentioned in a comment when someone thinks I am calling for less coverage, and this is a shooting that should get at least as much coverage as 5 people dying in a Raleigh neighborhood.
The dead people were found Sunday night. 4 dead on the scene, one died in surgery. All 5 shot were adults. Some reports of gun shots on Saturday.
Victims from this news report
- 37-year-old Thomas Anderson of Bobo Drive
- 32-year-old Adam Morley of Bobo Drive
- 59-year-old Mark Hewitt, who was staying at the house at the time of the incident
- 49-year-old James Derek Baldwin, who was also staying at the house at the time of the incident
- 19-year-old Roman Christean Megael Rocha. Rocha was the victim who passed away during surgery following the incident.
This same link discusses the shooter was found in another state after robbing a store, and confessed.
Here is the news conference where Sheriff Wright discusses the victims were drug addicts, and to his credit says that doesn’t mean they deserved it. The shooter has been reported to have been on drugs at the time of the shooting.
Probably the most surprising thing about this case is that the shooter, who does not appear white in the photos, was taken into custody alive.