Five people were killed and nine injured in a shooting that happened at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky on Monday, April 10. The gunman, a 25-year-old Old Nation bank employee, was shot by the police at the scene.
The officers who responded arrived within three minutes and engaged in a gun battle with the attacker, resulting in his death, as reported by interim Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel during a press conference.
“The suspect shot at officers. We then returned fire and stopped that threat,” she said. “The suspect is deceased.”
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As per CBS News’ law enforcement source, the attacker utilized an AR-style assault weapon during the rampage and live-streamed the whole event on Instagram.
“The suspect was live-streaming, and unfortunately that’s tragic to know that that incident was out there and captured,” she said. “And so we’re hopeful that we can have that incident removed.
Following the shooting incident, a nearby hospital received nine patients, including seven civilians and two police officers, according to officials. Among these, three have been discharged, while three others, one of them a police officer, are in a critical state, as per the authorities update.
On Monday afternoon, four victims were identified as Tommy Elliott (aged 63), Juliana Farmer (aged 45), Jim Tutt (aged 64), and Josh Barrick (aged 40). Later in the evening, police confirmed Deana Eckert (aged 57) had also passed away.
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During a previous press conference, Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey stated that investigators are of the belief that the attacker acted alone.
“There is no active threat,” he said.
According to Gwinn-Villaroel, three individuals, including a police officer, were in critical condition at the University of Louisville Hospital. Officer Nickolas Wilt, aged 26 and a recent graduate of the police academy, was shot in the head and underwent surgery. He is currently in a critical yet stable condition. The chief also mentioned that another officer had a bullet graze, while the third had sustained minor injuries.
In the aftermath of the mass shooting in Louisville on Monday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear revealed that one of his dearest friends was among those killed.
“He’s one of the people I talked to most in the world and very rarely were we talking about my job. He was an incredible friend,” the governor said.
As per the officials, while the police were responding to the Old National Bank, some officers had to leave to attend to another shooting that had occurred merely a mile away at Jefferson Community and Technical College. The two incidents were not linked, and classes at the college were cancelled.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and his wife, Elaine Chao, thanked police for their fast and brave work Monday.
“Elaine and I are devastated by the news coming out of Louisville this morning,” McConnell said in a statement. “Thank you to LMPD and our first responders for your bravery at the scene. We send our prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville as we await more information.”
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, stated that he and his wife, Jill Biden, were offering their prayers to the victims of the tragedy.
“Once again, our nation mourns after a senseless act of gun violence. … Too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives,” Biden said in a statement. “When will Republicans in Congress act to protect our communities?”
Although the suspect was shot and killed by the police, the tragedy has once again reignited the ongoing debate about gun control laws in the United States. The incident has also highlighted the need for swift action to prevent such senseless acts of violence from occurring in the future. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the Louisville community during this difficult time.
