Suspect, victims were in court together before downtown Raleigh shooting, police say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Raleigh police are investigating a reported shooting near the downtown courthouse.
- The shooting was reported on Fayetteville Street sometime Friday morning.
- Multiple suspects were reported in custody and police said there is no ongoing threat.
A suspect is in custody after allegedly shooting two individuals involved in a Wake County court case in downtown Raleigh on Friday morning, according to Raleigh police.
Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce said two people were shot outside the Wake County Courthouse shortly after 10:30 a.m. Both victims were involved in a court case on the 10th floor with the suspected shooter, who became “belligerent” and left the courthouse, Boyce said.
The suspect, an adult female, later returned in her car and is accused of shooting the victims after waiting outside, police said. The victims’ conditions are unknown.
Boyce said the case is believed to be a civil matter involving the suspect and the two victims. He said the nature of the relationship between the three individuals is unclear.
“We are working to find out what that court case is about,” Boyce said.
Fayetteville Street, the main thoroughfare in downtown Raleigh, will remain locked down “for some time,” Boyce said.
Boyce said police have been in contact with the victims’ families.
“We are thinking about them,” he said. “We will work to get them some answers.”
Raleigh police radio traffic indicated two possible victims in the alley next to the Wake County Courthouse about 10:38 a.m.
“There is no ongoing threat to the community at this time,” the department said on X on Friday morning.
Witnesses heard gunshots, saw police running
Rose Roberts of Clayton was in the courtroom at the time of the shooting because her nephew had a court case.
“The officers all went running out, so we knew something was going on,” she told The N&O.
One attorney was in the middle of a trial when she heard eight or nine shots from outside.
“It was so loud,” she said. “We were asking, ‘Is that construction? Surely it’s not gunshots.’ So, OK, keep going.”
By noon, the courthouse was operating again, though few remained inside.
Boyce said court proceedings will end at 1 p.m.
Raleigh is ‘a very safe city,’ Boyce said last month
Boyce spoke at a police advisory board meeting last month after several violent incidents in downtown and its vicinity. He told board members that Raleigh is safe. He said the idea that downtown isn’t safe is “not true,” though he said resident fears about downtown are legitimate.
“This is a safe city,” Boyce told board members. “A very safe city.”
Raleigh is proposing adding 23 new sworn police officer positions for $3.8 million — an effort Boyce said in a budget presentation earlier this week is aimed at reducing response times to 911 calls.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is released.
This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Suspect, victims were in court together before downtown Raleigh shooting, police say."
