How private police officers played a role in responding to Raleigh mass shooting
RALEIGH, N.C. December 15th, 2022— Tuesday marked two months since the tragic shooting in Raleigh, when a teen shot and killed five people, including a Raleigh police officer.
The shooting on Oct. 13 in Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood drew a massive police response and prompted an hourslong search for the suspect, 15-year-old Austin Thompson.
Two months after the mass shooting in Raleigh’s Hedingham neighborhood, police continue to investigate
Since then, the community has been grieving and recovering. Now, Spectrum News 1 is learning more about how private armed security played a role in responding to this shooting.
Capitol Special Police is a security service in the Triangle. It has a contract with the Hedingham HOA to patrol the neighborhood.
On the day of the shooting, one of its officers responded to the scene shortly after Raleigh Police Officer Gabriel Torres was shot in his patrol car, near Osprey Cove Drive.
“Our officer actually went and comforted his [Torres’] wife who had arrived on scene and kept her as calm as possible… reassuring her that everything was being done for her husband,” said Dr. Roy Taylor, chief of police for Capitol Special Police. “That’s the kind of role we play. We are not trying to take over for the municipal police, but we are providing a supplemental service.”
As Taylor looked at photos from Oct. 13, he says once the shooting situation was under control, his next priority was checking on the well-being of the officer who responded.
“To make sure that she didn’t develop post traumatic stress disorder or have other issues,” Taylor said. “Because anytime you’re dealing with a shooting, especially a death and a death of a police officer… it’s kind of the trifecta of what police officers worry about.”
Taylor understands that well because he has worked as an officer, chief of police and recently retired as a colonel with the military police. Now, he employs more than 100 people under Capitol Special Police.
His employees fulfill private security contracts in the Triangle and beyond.
“If we have a contract with your community, we have the same authority as a city police officer does,” Taylor said.
His team’s mission is to reduce crime and provide a high visibility deterrent to crime, so people can feel safe in their community or business. He says private security’s role can often be overlooked, but plays an essential part in keeping people safe.
According to Raleigh Police, its greenways team continues to patrol the parks and greenway system, providing a visual presence for visitors of those open spaces.
The department does not comment on tactics or strategies related to its specialty units. However, “it encourages all who enjoy our parks and greenways to contact 911 when they see or hear anything suspicious,” said Raleigh Police Lt. Jason Borneo in an email communication to Spectrum News.
The police department cannot release additional information on what kind of weapon was used, because the investigation into the mass shooting in the Hedingham neighborhood is still ongoing.
“Providing this information to the public could potentially jeopardize this investigation, and ensuring justice for the victims and families is the priority of our investigators,” said Borneo. “This investigation will be a lengthy process that could take several months to complete.”
Raleigh police are still investigating what happened on the day of the shooting.
They have not released new details on whether they have updated the way they are patrolling area greenways.
