NC State student arrested for string of random highway shootings in Raleigh: Police

A student from North Carolina State has been taken into custody for a series of ostensibly random gunfire at vehicles on several Raleigh roadways. Raleigh officers Chief Estella Patterson said that since Monday, officers have received 12 complaints of gunfire at buildings and cars along Interstates 40 and 440. During a news briefing on Thursday, Patterson stated, “At this time, we do believe that the 12 incidents are related.”

According to police, 23-year-old Andrew Thomas Graney is accused of 11 charges of shooting a weapon into an occupied car or residence and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to kill and cause serious injury. Graney has been enrolled at NC State since the autumn and is a senior studying in anthropology. Graney has been enrolled at NC State since the fall of 2019 and is a senior majoring in anthropology, the university told Raleigh ABC station WTVD.

Alongside Graney, another individual was arrested Thursday at a Raleigh home but was later freed without being charged, according to authorities. Graney made his first appearance in court Friday afternoon, when a judge ordered him to be kept without bond. “This is one of those cases that put fear in the heart of the entire community,” Judge Debra Sasser stated. The suspect fired at three occupied homes and seven automobiles, according to Wake County District Attorney’s Office assistant district attorney Stacy Newton, who spoke during the hearing.

The prosecutor said that Graney’s car and smartphone were used by investigators to connect him to the shootings. His car matched the description of one used in multiple incidents, and his smartphone was in each of the places throughout the four-day period, she added. According to her, a.45-caliber pistol was found inside the suspect’s car, and police found.45-caliber shell casings at most, if not all, of the shootings. Newton stated that a motivation is still being looked into.

Newton said, “This was a completely random and senseless series of acts of violence that really put this community on edge,” refusing to post bail in the case. Graney requested that a public lawyer be assigned during his virtual appearance at the court. In response to reports of cars being shot into in the early morning hours on I-40, police had asked drivers in the Raleigh region to exercise caution.

In one instance, a woman was shot in the leg while driving on Monday; according to authorities, her injuries were not life-threatening. Whether gunfire were coming from a car or from foot is currently unknown, according to Patterson. Police have already stated that they think the shootings were carried out with a handgun. The shootings are still being investigated. Anyone with dashcam or surveillance footage should come forward, Patterson said.