State rests case in sentencing of Hedingham mass shooter Austin Thompson, defense begins Tuesday
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The state has rested its case against Raleigh mass shooter Austin Thompson in the sentence hearing.
The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to killing five people in the Hedingham neighborhood in October 2022. Him and his legal team decided to enter a guilty plea and some additional charges on Jan. 21 in Wake County.
The prosecution's final witness was Dr. Carrie Gibson, an FBI profiler and licensed psychologist.
Gibson spoke generally Friday about what drives someone to commit a mass shooting and said people can follow a pathway to violence without ever committing a violent act prior.
"There is a desire for them to kill or a desire to die," she said. "What we see is that the pathway starts with a grievance. It can be a personal slight, it can be a humiliation, it can be something that's unbearable, it can be real or perceived something that they struggle to move past."
SEE ALSO: Follow our live updates for the Austin Thompson sentencing
The state is trying to prove the mass shooting was premediated, which would carry a stiffer sentence. The judge has already said law requires the court to give special consideration to the defendant's age, at the time of crime, when sentencing.
Many of the victims' loved ones were in court every day after delivering powerful testimony themselves and hearing from Thompson's parents.
"I cannot even begin to describe the pain we feel every day. we've just tried to do the best we can," Alan Thompson said during his victim impact statement.
"We lost both of our children in one afternoon," Elise Thompson said.
The parents apologized to the victim's families and said there were no warning signs ahead of the Hedingham mass shooting.
Lynn Gardner and former Raleigh Police Officer Casey Clark survived.
"I heard a gunshot and I felt like a train going through my knee drops me to the ground," Clark said about being shot in the leg.
"Because of who I am and what I believe in, (it) as given me the grace to forget the young man who shot me," said Gardner.
On Thursday, Austin's apparent confession letter was presented to the court. The note was found in his bedroom on the day of the shooting, reading:
The reason I did this is because I hate humans. They are destroying the planet/earth. Killed him at 4:20 about 5 minutes off maybe. He kept breathing so I stabbed him. Stopped breathing about 10-15 mins later. I don't have a goal. I'm not suicidal. Death is like sleep. That's why I don't care if I die. I was never buillied or anything. By dad. I don't like you mom. Every other family member is good. Thanks juan and deangelo for taking me hunting. I don't want to die but it's going to happen anyway. You were the best dad. I was never bullied in school either. (Cops) i killed James because he would get in my way. I killed James with a subsonic 22 I stole from Cabella's. I have no regrets. I'm not mental either. I was sane when I did this.
Court will resume Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and the defense will begin presenting its case. Austin's attorneys are planning to call Elise Thompson back to the stand, and the line of questioning is expected to take several hours.
