In an incident that shook the city and garnered national attention, five people were shot and killed Thursday on a northeastern Raleigh Greenway, including an off-duty police officer. Two additional persons were taken to the hospital, including a Raleigh Police K-9 officer.
The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was released from the hospital, according to Raleigh Police Lt. Jason Borneo at a press conference at 10:45 p.m.
Borneo stated that the other injured person is still in severe condition.
Borneo verified that a male juvenile suspect was apprehended at 9:37 p.m. Thursday.
Officials will provide another update at 8:30 a.m. Friday. “This is a sad and tragic day for the city of Raleigh,” said Baldwin, visibly shaken at a press conference Thursday evening. The first press conference was held outside Raleigh City Hall, not far from a memorial for fallen police officers.
Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina joined Baldwin, Borneo, and other officials for the 10:45 p.m. media briefing.
“Terror has arrived at our door tonight,” Cooper warned. “Raleigh has become the nightmare of every neighborhood.” This has been a stupid, horrible, and infuriating act of violence.”
WakeMed Hospital previously stated that three individuals are being treated there. Their terms are not provided. Borneo stated that the hospital had set aside an area for victims’ families to congregate.
Law officers throughout the region descended Thursday afternoon on a “active shooting” in a residential area near the Neuse River Greenway.
According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, it “made several state resources available in response to the active shooting event in Raleigh this afternoon.”
At about 5:30 p.m., Raleigh police advised residents in the Hedingham neighborhood to remain in their homes and to contact 911 if they saw anything or anyone suspicious. The area is near Osprey Cove, and Bay Harbor drives.
Raleigh Police said at 6:49 p.m. that residents in McConnell Oliver Drive, Tarheel Club Drive, and Old Milburnie Road should also remain indoors. Drivers were told to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
Cooper tweeted at 6:54 p.m. that he spoke with Baldwin and had “instructed state law enforcement to provide help responding to the active shooter in East Raleigh.”
Cooper said at a 10:45 p.m. media briefing that the State Highway Patrol aviation and local patrol members, State Capitol police officers, Alcohol Law Enforcement special agents, and the State Bureau of Investigation were among the agencies called to help Raleigh Police.
“When they found out there was an active shooter ready to kill people, these law enforcement officers went to the problem,” Cooper added.
“I appreciate the collaborative effort that occurred here tonight.”
Borneo said that Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson was at a professional conference in Dallas but was on her way back to Raleigh Thursday night.
