15-year-old suspect in Raleigh shooting remains in 'grave' condition: Official

The teenager suspected in the fatal shootings of five people in Raleigh, North Carolina, is still in "grave" condition, a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation into the mass shooting told ABC News.

The 15-year-old was taken into custody with life-threatening injuries following a standoff with police last Thursday after the shootings occurred, according to a memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security. It's not clear whether the suspect's injuries were self-inflicted, the memo said.

The teen, who has not been named, is still in the hospital in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, the official said on Sunday. While the investigation into whether the suspect's injuries are the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, detectives believe responding police fired at the suspect, so officer-involved-shooting protocols are being followed, the official said.

The crime scene spans over 2 miles, Patterson said. Among the victims were an off-duty police officer and a relative of the suspect, the official said. A police dog was also injured but is expected to recover, the official said.

The suspect first shot two people in the streets of the neighborhood before fleeing toward the nature trail, where he opened fire, killing three more people and wounding two others, Patterson told reporters during a news conference on Thursday.

Detectives are continuing their effort to piece together a possible motive for the shooting, the official told ABC News. A search of his juvenile records has not revealed a criminal history, the official added.

Officers searched the suspect’s home on Friday and so far have not found any social media footprint for the suspect, the official said, adding that investigators are going through handwritten material.

Crime scene tape is seen on Sahalee Way in the Hedingham neighborhood of Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 15, 2022.

Veasey Conway/The New York Times via Redux