Austin Thompson has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for carrying out the deadliest mass shooting in Raleigh.

During sentencing, Judge Ridgeway cited extensive evidence of planning and described the crimes as acts of “great malice.” Thompson received five consecutive life sentences for first-degree murder. In addition, he was sentenced to 157 to 201 months for attempted first-degree murder and related assault charges.

Thompson was 15 years old at the time of the October 2022 shooting. His defense team argued that he was in a dissociative state during the attack, but the court rejected that claim. Judge Ridgeway characterized Thompson’s actions as an “utter and callous disregard for human life.”

Family members of the victims were visibly emotional as the sentence was delivered, marking a somber moment nearly three and a half years after the tragedy shook the community.

Thompson’s attorneys have indicated they plan to appeal the life-without-parole sentence, citing his age at the time of the crimes.

For many impacted families, however, the ruling brings a measure of closure after years of grief and court proceedings.