On Oct. 13, five people were shot and killed in a northeast Raleigh, North Carolina residential neighborhood. In addition to the five killed, two others were left in critical condition. After victims were found scattered throughout the neighborhood, police requested residents to immediately evacuate from the area or stay in their homes. That night, the suspect was taken into custody. 

The five victims include 29-year-old city police officer Gabriel Torres, 53-year-old Nicole Conners, 49-year-old Susan Konratz, 34-year-old Mary Marshall and 16-year-old James Thompson. The two other victims, 33-year-old police officer Casey Joseph Clarke and 59-year-old Marcille Gardner, were wounded.

While the motives and the details behind the attack remain unclear, Raleigh police announced that the alleged gunman was a 15-year-old white male, who is currently in critical condition at a local hospital. After the shooting, the gunman fled to the Neuse River Greenway behind the Hedingham neighborhood.

Homeowners of the area mentioned that this event was very shocking for the neighborhood. Many described the neighborhood as a respectful community.

The mass shooting caused a nearby elementary school to go under lockdown and two community centers were urged to evacuate. The crime scene spanned over two miles, where victims’ bodies were left throughout the neighborhood and on the nearby trail. 

Shootings in the U.S. have increasingly become an issue, leaving victims and loved ones distraught, as well as unsafe in their own homes.