5 people killed, including off-duty cop, in Raleigh shooting rampage

Five people were killed and two more were wounded in a shooting rampage Thursday evening in Raleigh, N.C.

One of the dead was an off-duty Raleigh police officer, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said at a press conference. Another off-duty officer was wounded in the shooting. His injuries were not life-threatening.

No suspects were in custody as of Baldwin’s 9 p.m. press conference. The mayor said Raleigh police had “contained” the suspect in a residence. The shooter was holed up in a barn, according to local news reports.

Neither the victims nor the suspect were immediately identified. Surviving victims’ conditions were not clear, either. All the hospitalized victims were taken to a Level 1 trauma center, local NBC affiliate WRAL reported.

“This is a sad and tragic day for the city of Raleigh,” Baldwin said amid screeching sirens.

Officers were first called to the shooting in Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood around 5 p.m., according to the mayor, with residents describing a massive law enforcement response. Baldwin said authorities from across the state were on the scene.

The situation was ongoing as city leaders ended the press conference.

“We must do more. We must stop this mindless violence in America,” Baldwin said. “We must address gun violence. We have much to do. And tonight we have much to mourn.”