A North Carolina judge sentenced 18-year-old Austin David Thompson to life in prison without parole for killing five people in a 2022 mass shooting. Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway rejected arguments for potential parole after 25 years, citing Thompson's months of planning and the "irreparable corruption" reflected in his crimes.

Thompson, who was 15 at the time of the October 13, 2022, attack, fatally shot his 16-year-old brother James at their Raleigh home before killing four others including an off-duty police officer. The rampage through the Hedingham subdivision left two others wounded. Prosecutors presented evidence of Thompson's internet search history showing interest in school shootings, guns, and bomb-making materials.

Thompson's defense argued the rampage resulted from a dissociative episode caused by acne medication, but Ridgeway dismissed this theory. The judge emphasized a handwritten note found at the scene expressing hatred for humans and their impact on the planet. Family members of victims wept as the sentence was handed down, while Thompson's attorneys announced plans to appeal the decision.