University student arrested in weeklong string of North Carolina shootings

Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A 23-year-old North Carolina State University student was arrested and charged in a string of shootings in Raleigh, N.C.

Authorities charged Andrew Thomas Graney with one count of assault with a deadly weapon and 11 counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling or vehicle, as well as other felonies.

Dozens of Raleigh Police Department members took Graney into custody late Thursday in a neighborhood in the southeast part of the city. A second man was also detained but later released, officials confirmed.

Graney's arrest comes after two separate shootings Thursday morning on Trailwood Drive, a major street in southwest Raleigh. Authorities said one man fired a single shot into the side of a vehicle. A short while later, police responded to another report of shots fired at a vehicle.

Nobody was injured in either incident.

"We understand the community is concerned and fear naturally follows in an event of this magnitude," Raleigh police chief Estella Patterson told reporters at a news conference.

Authorities believe Graney is responsible for 12 shootings in Raleigh between Monday and Thursday.

One woman was injured after being hit in the leg by a bullet Monday after someone fired into the car she was inside of. No injuries were reported in any of the other shootings, which all occurred in and around Interstate 40, near Interstate 440.

Authorities said Graney fired shots into four residences and eight vehicles during the shooting spree. They have not speculated on a possible motive.

"The Raleigh Police Department continues to investigate these incidents and has focused our resources on identifying the person or persons responsible. We will continue to work with our Federal, State, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of those traveling on our streets and highways," the department said in a statement on its website.

"We are seeking the public's assistance in identifying those responsible for these incidents."

Graney has been enrolled at the university since 2019, where he was studying anthropology.