What to know about Raleigh courthouse shooting: Today’s top headlines
The News & Observer is tracking several major stories across the Triangle today, May 22, 2026, from a shocking shooting outside the Wake County courthouse to changes in NC State athletics.
Here’s a roundup of the day’s top stories.
- Attorneys shot outside Wake courthouse: Gwendolyn White, 57, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting attorneys Mary Harris and Jeffrey Whitley around 10:30 a.m. outside the old Wake County Courthouse in downtown Raleigh. Police say White became “belligerent” during a hearing, left the building, returned with a gun from her car and opened fire.
Read more: Woman charged with attempted murder after 2 attorneys shot in downtown Raleigh
- Lawsuit behind the shooting: The hearing that preceded the shooting stemmed from a civil suit White filed against the Rolesville Police Department seeking body camera footage from a 2021 verbal altercation between White and her neighbors. Police said most of the footage had been deleted after 30 days per department policy, and White had filed a contempt motion in the case.
Read more: How a fight for police videos led to 2 attorneys being shot outside Wake courthouse
- What we know about the victims: Mary K. Harris graduated from NC State in 2019 and earned her law degree from Campbell University in 2022, while Jeffrey Whitley holds degrees from Florida State University and Duke Law School. Both work for Fox Rothschild, which has represented the town of Rolesville for decades.
Read more: 2 Raleigh lawyers were shot outside the courthouse downtown. What we know so far
- A wedding amid the chaos: With the courthouse closed by the shooting, Rebecca Stewart and Billy Khantawong married in nearby Nash Square after deputy clerk Angela Davis volunteered to officiate. Davis signed the paperwork on the matron of honor’s back with a borrowed pen as the couple chose to “always try to choose joy.”
Read more: The weddings that wouldn’t wait — even with Wake’s courthouse closed by chaos
Politics
- DNC report draws backlash: The Democratic National Committee’s after-action report on the 2024 election is being widely discredited as error-laden, including incorrect vote percentages in North Carolina’s gubernatorial race between Democrat Josh Stein and Republican Mark Robinson. Chair Ken Martin acknowledged the report “does not meet my standards.” But Stein’s election draws praise.
Read more: Democrats face backlash for 2024 campaign report, including error-filled NC section
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Sports
- Hurricanes drop conference final opener: The Carolina Hurricanes lost 6-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final at the Lenovo Center, with Montreal scoring four goals in the first period. The loss continues a troubling pattern of home Game 1 defeats for Carolina in conference finals.
Read more: Hurricanes’ penchant for home conference final losses stings against Canadiens
- NC State promotes new baseball coach: Associate head coach Chris Hart was promoted to head coach of NC State baseball one day after Elliott Avent announced his retirement following 30 seasons. Hart has spent 22 seasons on staff at NC State and helped develop 32 draft picks, including three-time MLB All-Star Trea Turner.
Read more: NC State baseball names new coach a day after Elliott Avent announces retirement
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 9:35 PM with the headline "What to know about Raleigh courthouse shooting: Today’s top headlines."