Overview
- Police say the shooting occurred after a tense civil hearing on Friday, May 22, when the suspect became belligerent, left the courtroom, returned to her car to retrieve a handgun, and fired at the attorneys as they exited the Old Wake County Courthouse.
- Authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Gwendolyn White, who was taken into custody at the scene, transported to a hospital for treatment, and is held in Wake County without bail on two counts of attempted murder.
- The two victims are Fox Rothschild attorneys Mary Harris and Jeffrey Whitley; both were taken to a local hospital with gunshot injuries, the woman underwent surgery and the man was reported in stable condition.
- Raleigh police, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Protective Service secured downtown streets and briefly closed both Wake County courthouses, and officials said there was no ongoing public threat after the quick arrest.
- Court records and reporting show the shooting is linked to a multi-year civil suit against the Rolesville Police Department involving officer body-camera footage, the suspect has publicly posted grievances about the case, and a criminal hearing is scheduled for May 26.