At least five shot dead by teenager in Raleigh, North Carolina: Suspect in custody

A teenage gunman has opened fire in Raleigh, North Carolina, killing five people including an off-duty police officer.

Eye witnesses told WRAL that they saw the gunman dressed in camouflage clothing with a backpack and black boots, crouching down, and said he was ‘aged between 13 and 16’.

Raleigh police said at 9:40pm that the suspect was in custody. 

Around an hour earlier, Mary-Ann Baldwin, the mayor of Raleigh, said the suspect was ‘contained’, but police would not say whether they could communicate with him.

His condition was unclear. 

WRAL was broadcasting footage of the scene, showing the off-duty police officer’s car riddled with bullets. 

A second officer, a canine officer, was shot and injured.  

WRAL said that four people had been taken to WakeMed hospital, and they were described as being in a ‘very serious condition’.

They said the suspect was a white teenage male, armed with a long gun. 

Baldwin said it was ‘a sad and tragic day for the city of Raleigh’.