Years-long questions around why Austin Thompson murdered five people in a mass shooting in Raleigh, including his brother, got some clarity on Thursday.
In court during his sentencing hearing, prosecutors read a note that Austin Thompson, 15 years old at the time, left behind. The writings shed light on his state of mind.
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Inside the two-page note, the words "I did this because I hate humans" were listed near the top of a loose-leaf piece of paper.
The day was also marked by emotional testimony from Thompson's father, Alan Thompson, who said there were no warning signs.
There was also an extensive breakdown of Thompson's search history leading up to the shooting. His Google search history had several potentially problematic entries, ranging from school shootings amd photos of Knightdale High School, where he attended.
More than 1,000 searches related to guns, bomb making materials, assaults, rapes and murders.
He searched, "Can juveniles get the death penalty" just a month and a half before the Oct. 13, 2022, shooting, according to the database provided by investigators.
The note gave a vague account of why he went on this rampage. Included was a confession and a motive inside the two-page letter left behind by Austin Thompson after killing his brother, James Thompson.
Giving an indication of much darker thoughts than what’s been presented by his parents and teachers.
"I did this because I hate humans. They are destroying the planet/earth," the note read.
Sgt. William Tripp read the length of the letter in court, which included a confession for the murder of his brother James.
"I killed James because he would get in my way," it read.
The letter gives us an indication of his mental state before he shot himself, suffering a traumatic brain injury.
"I’m not suicidal," the letter reads. "Death is like sleep. That’s why I don’t care if I die."
Tripp also walked through video and photographic evidence from Thompson after he left the home.
Home surveillance showed the moments leading up to him killing Nicole Connors and seriously injuring Lynn Gardner.
And after he killed five people, another surveillance camera showed him talking to someone on a trail about the commotion.
"There’s a shooter!" said a person on camera. Everything presented was counter to what his father Alan knew about his son.
A digital map from the Raleigh police digital forensics team showed Austin Thompson's route through the neighborhood and through the Neuse River Greenway Trail before hiding in a shed. Investigators found that he went approximately 2.4 miles in trying to escape arrest.
"With Austin, I still love him, but I don’t understand why," Alan Thompson said.
It was revealed Thursday that Austin's parents were working to separate before the shooting.
Days after the shooting, Alan found a hollowed-out Chapstick tube. Inside, handwritten scraps of paper that he immediately turned over to law enforcement.
"I believed what I was looking at was a bomb-making design and instructions," said Tripp.
Tripp said they talked to everyone they could about Austin. He added he found no one who was close friends with him.
"You were the best Dad, I was never bullied in school either," the note said. However, Alan Thompson referenced at least two instances earlier in his life that he characterized as bullying.
One particularly unsettling excerpt read, "I don't like you Mom." Austin's mother, Elise Thompson, spoke on the stand on Wednesday.
Austin Thompson wrote a final line about his mental state, just before heading out on a rampage where he would kill four other people after his brother and seriously injure two others.
"I have no regrets," the letter reads. "I’m not mental either. I was sane when I did this."
Friday will likely continue with a deeper look into the internet search history. Defense attorneys said they have questions for the investigator and will likely present those at a later time.
In January, Austin Thompson pleaded guilty to five counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and one count of assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer.
Austin Thompson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The maximum possible sentence for Thompson would be five life sentences plus an additional 1,634 months in prison.
Jasmin Torres, the widow of slain Raleigh officer Gabriel Torres, struggled to read a victim statement on Thursday morning. "This was a monstrous act of planned violence," she said.
At one point, she looked at where Austin Thompson was sitting and told him to make eye contact.
"Look at me, Austin," she said.
Nicole Connors, Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshall, Gabriel Torres and James Thompson all died in the shooting.
You can watch Friday's proceedings live on WRAL.com and the WRAL YouTube page.
Civil case still playing out
In 2024, the victims' families sued Thompson's parents and the Hedingham homeowners' association. They accuse all of them of knowing that Thompson was a threat and not doing enough to stop him.
Thompson's father pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to the shooting. He didn't lock a gun box, which had a handgun that police found his son with when they arrested the teenager.
Alan Thompson was given a year of probation.
It was also at the time, his lawyer said Thompson's parents never saw any warning signs from their son that would lead them to believe he was capable of something so violent.
