Plaintiffs in Hedingham civil trial seek to use criminal pleas against defendants: Records

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The plaintiffs in a lawsuit related to the October 2022 mass shooting in Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood are seeking to bring some of the defendants’ guilty pleas in criminal court into the civil case, records show.

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Survivors and the estates of the victims of the shooting filed a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court against perpetrator Austin Thompson, who pleaded guilty in February to killing five people and injuring two more when he was 15.

Also named as defendants in the lawsuit were Thompson’s parents Alan and Elise, property management company Hedingham Community Association, and security guard service Capitol Special Police.

On Friday, according to court records, the plaintiffs filed a motion for a partial summary judgment, which would give them a ruling in their favor before a jury trial.

The motion argues a summary judgment should be granted against Austin Thompson because he pleaded guilty to the shooting. It also argues for a summary judgment against Alan Thompson, who pleaded guilty in September 2024 to not properly storing the handgun used in the shooting.

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“There is no genuine dispute that Austin Thompson committed the shootings underlying the claims of these plaintiffs,” the motion reads. “He admitted under oath that he committed five first-degree murders, two attempted first-degree murders, two assaults with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and one assault on a law-enforcement officer with a firearm.

“Alan Thompson’s guilty plea is an admission that he violated a statute in allowing Austin access to a firearm for use in the mass shooting,” the motion reads.

The motion does not affect Elise Thompson, Hedingham Community Association, and Capitol Special Police, who have not pleaded guilty in criminal court.

The civil case is scheduled to begin in July. Attorneys for Capitol Special Police are seeking to delay it to January 2027.

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