Police: 5 killed in Louisville shooting; suspect dead

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - Five people were killed and multiple others were injured in a shooting at a downtown Louisville bank Monday, authorities said.

Officials said the lone suspect in the shooting at Old National Bank is dead.

Police confirmed five people died, and University of Louisville Hospital confirmed nine total patients were treated following Monday’s shooting. Three of the injured victims have been confirmed as Louisville Metro Police Department officers.

In a Monday afternoon news conference, authorities said three injured victims were in critical condition, including one of the officers. Three victims were in non-critical condition, and three others had been discharged from the hospital.

The hospital said five of the nine patients were being treated for gunshot wounds.

Authorities identified the shooter as 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon. Officials originally said Sturgeon was 23 years old but later corrected his age to 25.

Louisville Police Interim Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said Sturgeon had been employed with Old National Bank.

Gwinn-Villaroel said Sturgeon used a rifle in the attack, which he also livestreamed.

The names of the five people who were killed are Tommy Elliott, 63; Jim Tutt, 64; Josh Barrick, 40, Juliana Farmer, 45 and Deana Eckert, 57.

Authorities said police responded quickly when calls came in about a possible active shooter in the area Monday morning.

Louisville Metro Police Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said officers were on the scene “in minutes” and traded gunfire with the shooting suspect, who died shortly thereafter.

Villaroel said the two officers who exchanged gunfire with the suspect were both injured. One was grazed to the left side while the other had minor injuries to the elbow.

Another officer, Nickolas Wilt, 26, is listed in critical condition. He just graduated from the LMPD Police Academy on March 31.

Wilt was struck in the head during the incident and recently came out of brain surgery. He is listed in critical yet stable condition, according to Gwinn-Villaroel.

“I’ve been down there with the family and given my love and support,” Gwinn-Villaroel said. “I’ve been with all the families today to show our love and support for them. If there’s anything else they need from LMPD, we would be happy to provide that.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was in Louisville in response to the shooting and joined Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg in thanking police.

Beshear said one of the victims who died, Elliott, was a close friend. He said two other friends were also in the hospital because of the shooting.

“When we talk about praying, I hope people will,” he said. “For those that we are hoping can make it through the surgeries that they are going through, and we’ve got to do what we have done these last three years after everything, we’ve got to wrap our arms around these families. And everybody who needs it, don’t be afraid to get some help.”

Louisville Metro police officers and FBI Louisville special agents are investigating at the scene and will be there throughout the day.

Old National Bank provided a statement on the shooting and said the CEO, Jim Ryan, was en route to Louisville.

“The safety of Old National Bank employees and everyone we serve in our banking center locations is paramount,” Ryan said in the statement. “As we await more details, we are deploying employee assistance support and keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., thanked police and first responders for their bravery and sent prayers to the victims and their families.

President Joe Biden said “our nation mourns after a senseless act of gun violence” and mentioned inaction about stricter gun laws in a tweet.

A second, unrelated shooting happened hours later outside of a Jefferson Community and Technical College campus building in Louisville. One person died and another was injured in that shooting.

LMPD said the shooting occurred outside and that the suspect had left by the time officers arrived. JCTC closed campuses for the day in response to the shooting.

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