Police are searching for answers after a teenager allegedly killed five people, including a police officer, and injured two others along a nature trail in Raleigh, North Carolina.

As per a law enforcement official who received a briefing on the inquiry, the alleged gunman, an adolescent boy of 15 years, happens to be a family member of one of the deceased individuals.

Among the victims was Raleigh police officer Gabriel Torres, 29, who was shot and killed while on his way to work, as stated by Estella Patterson, the police chief of Raleigh.

The remaining four victims were identified as Nicole Connors, 52; Susan Karnatz, 49; Mary Marshall, 34; and James Roger Thompson, 16.

As per a memorandum released by the Department of Homeland Security and acquired by ABC News, the unidentified individual was apprehended with injuries that posed a threat to their life. The memorandum mentioned that it is uncertain whether the injuries were caused by the individual themselves.

As of Friday morning, the police chief stated that the suspect was still in critical condition and receiving treatment at the hospital.

Patterson, who told reporters, stated that a five-day report will be released, and the motive is still unknown. She would not say what type of firearm was used in the shooting by the suspect.

“I feel a deep sadness because we don’t have explanations as to why this catastrophe happened,” Patterson expressed during a media briefing.

According to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, detectives are currently examining handwritten material and have not yet discovered any social media presence for the perpetrator. Furthermore, officers conducted a search of the suspect’s residence on Friday.

Patterson, he opened fire, injuring two others and killing three people, before fleeing towards the nearby neighborhood streets. The suspect shot the first two people he encountered on the trail before the crime scene spanned over a distance of 2 miles. The shooting took place in the vicinity of Trail Harbor Bay, Cove Osprey, and the Greenway River Neuse.

The police chief informed reporters that the arrest of the suspect came after a long “standoff” and was the result of multiple agencies’ team effort.

Patterson stated that one of the injured individuals, aged 59, is currently hospitalized in critical condition after being shot.

Casey Joseph Clark, a 33-year-old law enforcement officer from Raleigh, was also injured; he has received medical treatment and has been released from the hospital.

A canine officer was also wounded and will make a full recovery, according to a law enforcement representative.

In a statement on Friday, President Joe Biden urged for a prohibition on assault weapons.

He expressed, “We are considering another community disrupted and devastated as they grieve the departure of companions and neighbors. We’ve mourned and prayed with numerous families who have had to endure the dreadful weight of these mass shootings. Sufficient.”

Biden highlighted the bipartisan gun safety legislation he enacted in June but emphasized the need for further action.

“I will sign it if you bring it to my desk,” Biden added. “The Senate should follow suit. House Democrats have already approved it. The American people endorse this sensible measure to remove military-style firearms from our communities. We need to enact a ban on assault weapons.”

Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina described the mass shooting as a “frustrating and heartbreaking instance of firearm violence.”

“Those inquiries will be addressed – some presently and additional ones gradually,” Cooper stated during the press briefing held on Friday morning. “We’re sorrowful, we’re furious, and we desire to ascertain the responses to all the inquiries.”

On Friday afternoon, the Raleigh Police Department posted on Twitter, “The overwhelming display of affection and backing we have received from community members, our fellow police officers and emergency responders, as well as our local and state authorities, has been genuinely uplifting. … Understanding that the city of Raleigh stands by our side, but we will approach it gradually, the path ahead is a challenging one.”