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2023 Louisville bank shooting

"2023 Louisville shooting" redirects here. For the shooting at a recreational facility, see Chickasaw Park § 2023 shooting.

2023 Louisville bank shooting
Connor Sturgeon inside the bank during the shooting
Connor Sturgeon inside of the bank during the shooting
Map
LocationOld National Bank, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Coordinates38°15′20.51″N 85°44′46.42″W / 38.2556972°N 85.7462278°W / 38.2556972; -85.7462278
DateApril 10, 2023; 20 months ago (2023-04-10)
8:36[1] – 8:45 a.m. (EDT; UTC−04:00)
Attack type
Mass shooting, mass murder, workplace shooting, shootout
WeaponsRadical Firearms RF-15 AR-15–style rifle[2][3]
Deaths6 (including the perpetrator)
Injured8
PerpetratorConnor James Sturgeon[4]
MotiveDesire to highlight lax gun laws in the United States

On April 10, 2023, a mass shooting occurred at the Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Five people were killed, and eight others were injured, including two responding police officers. The shooter, 25-year-old former employee Connor James Sturgeon, was fatally shot by police.

Shooting

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External videos
Footage of LMPD response to shooter
video icon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoAtXY24Wpw

The shooting happened on the first floor of the Old National Bank on East Main Street, near Louisville Slugger Field and Waterfront Park.[5][6][7] The shooter used an AR-15 style rifle, according to an anonymous federal law enforcement source.[3]

Phone calls placed at around 8:38 a.m. EDT from the Old National Bank reported an active shooter in the area. The call was later changed to an active aggressor report.[8][9] The employees of Old National Bank were in a conference room during a scheduled virtual meeting when the shooter opened fire. A manager at the bank said she observed the shooting through her computer.[10] After the first shots were fired, the shooter began livestreaming the shooting on Instagram until he was killed by officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD). The livestream was then taken down by Instagram.[11]

An eyewitness in the conference room recounted that those in the room heard a click before the shooter opened fire. Another had just walked past the conference room and thought the shooting was construction noise, before being alerted of the shooting by another employee.[12] Officers arrived at the bank three minutes after the first call. A woman who was at the intersection at the start of the shooting recounted that she saw a man lying near the entrance to a hotel before hearing shots and speeding off to a safer location.[13] The shooter had set himself up in an ambush position to target police officers.[14] Around 8:45 a.m., the LMPD confirmed that officers had exchanged gunfire with the shooter, who died of five police-inflicted bullet wounds approximately five minutes after the police arrived.[9][15][16]

Victims

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Five people were killed in the shooting. All of the victims were employed at Old National Bank. They were: Josh Barrick, 40; Deana Eckert, 57 (who died in the hospital the same day);[17] Tommy Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and Jim Tutt, 64. Elliott was a personal friend and mentor of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.[18]

The chief medical officer at University of Louisville Hospital said they had received nine patients,[a] including two police officers, who were injured in the shooting. Three of them had been released later that afternoon, three were still in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and three who were critically wounded had required operations. One police officer required brain surgery.[19][20]

Perpetrator

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The LMPD identified the perpetrator as 25-year-old Connor James Sturgeon (February 11, 1998[21] – April 10, 2023), who was raised in Greenville, Indiana.[22][23][24] Sturgeon attended Floyd Central High School in Floyds Knobs as a teenager.[25] A former student told The Daily Beast that Sturgeon was a star athlete, and seen as a smart and popular student at Floyd Central.[4] Another student claimed that Sturgeon was kept home for most of the eighth grade after repeatedly suffering concussions playing football.[26] A spokesperson for Sturgeon's family confirmed that Sturgeon suffered several concussions.[27] After graduating from Floyd Central in the spring of 2016, Sturgeon moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he attended the University of Alabama and graduated in December 2020, before moving back to Louisville where he was employed by the Old National Bank beginning in June 2021.[28] According to a LinkedIn page, he interned at the bank over previous summers, and had worked full-time at the bank for nearly two years.[19] A bank manager recalled him as being "low key" and "relaxed", and family members noted that he had depression.[29][8] Several of his friends and members of his family expressed surprise over him being the perpetrator.[29][8]

Prior to the shooting, Sturgeon messaged one of his friends stating that he felt suicidal and added that he wanted to kill as many people in the bank as he could, according to a police dispatcher.[30] Sturgeon's Instagram account featured mostly pictures of his family and friends, and some dark memes. One had the caption, "I could burn this whole place down," another featured a gif of a scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens where character Kylo Ren says "I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it",[31] and the last post before the attack said, "They won’t listen to words or protests. Let’s see if they hear this."[26]

Sturgeon legally purchased the AR-15 rifle from a Louisville dealer six days before the shooting.[32] Law enforcement sources said that Sturgeon left notes, one at his home and one on him, saying that part of his plan was to show how easily a person with mental illness could legally acquire a firearm in the United States.[33][34] Sturgeon noted targeting "upper class white people" for its potential impactfulness on the issue was a motive for his actions.[35]

Investigation

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting with the investigation of the incident.[36] The shooting did not appear to involve a bank robbery, according to preliminary sources.[37]

The LMPD blocked streets and conducted a joint search of Sturgeon's home in the Camp Taylor neighborhood near Interstate 264, located 7.4 miles (11.9 km) south of the bank.[38]

The LMPD report documented the shooter's motive as:[39]

Connor Sturgeon writes his "goals" to "tell my story" and "impact change - gun access." Connor Sturgeon then proceeds to list his "story" involving having good family and friends and doing everything right in his professional and social life. Connor goes on to say he was able to buy a gun and highlighting again "politicians with no interest in making things better" and "stop letting anyone buy guns or this will keep happening."

Aftermath

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The Old National Bank building closed in the aftermath of the shooting, and reopened in June 2023 at a new location in Louisville.[40]

Sturgeon's brain was retained and was tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition caused by repeated trauma to the head.[27][41][42] In November, the results were released and found no evidence of CTE.[43]

Reactions

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Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear said one of the victims, Tommy Elliott, was among his closest friends. Elliott was the senior vice president of Old National Bank.[19][14] Beshear tweeted that he was heading to the city in response to the shooting.[44][45] Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued a statement that he and his wife, Elaine Chao, were devastated. A similar statement was made by Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg, who stated that the community would come together to heal and help prevent similar acts of gun violence.[37] Representative Morgan McGarvey, whose district includes Louisville, thanked first responders, and noted that the shooting took place only weeks after the Nashville school shooting.[46]

President Joe Biden offered his condolences to the victims of the shooting and pushed for gun reform from Senate Republicans. He had made similar comments shortly after the Nashville school shooting, saying he had exhausted what he can do through executive action and that Congress needed to act.[47][48]

Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan issued a statement that the safety of employees and those they serve was extremely important and that the company was deploying employee assistance support.[12]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ This figure includes the victim who died at the hospital.

References

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  1. ^ "A Louisville corner changed forever: How 9 minutes of terror unfolded at Old National Bank". April 18, 2023. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  2. ^ Ward, Karla (November 22, 2023). "In notes, Louisville mass shooter says tougher access to guns would've stopped him". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Levenson, Eric; Sgueglia, Kristina; Tebor, Celina; Miller, John (April 10, 2023). "Gunman livestreamed mass shooting at Louisville bank that left 5 dead and 8 injured, police say". CNN. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Olding, Rachel; Rohrlich, Justin; Fiallo, Josh (April 10, 2023). "Louisville Bank Massacre Suspect ID'd as Varsity Hoop Star-Turned-Banker". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  5. ^ D'Andrea, Aaron; Boynton, Sean (April 10, 2023). "Louisville shooting: At least 5 dead, 6 in hospital as police investigate". Global News. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  6. ^ "5 dead after shooting at Kentucky bank building". CBC News. April 10, 2023. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Sharp, Rachel (April 11, 2023). "Did Louisville bank shooter Connor Sturgeon have CTE?". The Independent. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Riley, Jason (April 12, 2023). "Family of Louisville shooter said he had 'mental health challenges' but 'no warning signs' of 'shocking' mass shooting". WDRB. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Vogt, Dustin (April 10, 2023). "LMPD: 5 dead, 6 injured including officer from downtown Louisville shooting; suspect 'neutralized'". WAVE3. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Devine, Curt (April 10, 2023). ""I witnessed people being murdered." Bank manager says she saw shooting during a virtual meeting". CNN. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  11. ^ Debusmann Jr., Bernd; Matza, Max (April 10, 2023). "Louisville, Kentucky: Gunman kills five in bank shooting". BBC News. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Charalambous, Peter (April 10, 2023). "'Blood is on me!': Bank employees describe deadly Louisville shooting". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  13. ^ "5 dead, 6 injured after gunman opens fire in downtown Louisville office building". WDRB. April 10, 2023. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Lovan, Dylan; Reynolds, Rebecca; Galofaro, Claire (April 11, 2023). "Video shows Louisville police under fire from bank shooter". AP NEWS. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  15. ^ Yan, Holly; Morales, Mark; Wolfe, Elizabeth; Miller, John; Ly, Laura (April 11, 2023). "Authorities in Louisville release bodycam video of police response to shooting at bank that left 5 people dead". CNN. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  16. ^ Suckow, Alex (November 22, 2023). "Old National Bank mass shooting investigation closed; LMPD releases findings". WLKY. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  17. ^ Hernandez, Joe (April 10, 2023). "A fifth victim dies after Monday's downtown Louisville shooting". NPR. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  18. ^ Johnson, Krista; Rocio Álvarez Bríñez, Ana. "Officials identify shooter, 4 killed at Old National Bank". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  19. ^ a b c Robertson, Campbell; Holpuch, Amanda (April 10, 2023). "Gunman Kills 4 Co-workers at Louisville, Ky., Bank on Livestream, Police Say". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  20. ^ Olson, Emily (April 11, 2023). "Nickolas Wilt was shot in the head on his fourth shift as a Louisville police officer". NPR. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  21. ^ Louisville Metro Police Department [@LMPD] (April 10, 2023). "For clarification, the shooter in today's event has been identified as Connor Sturgeon, D.O.B. 2/11/1998. This is the extent to which we will address this individual as we move forward honoring the victims of today's horrific events. #LMPD" (Tweet). Retrieved April 11, 2023 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Vogt, Daniel (April 10, 2023). "LMPD: 4 dead, 9 injured including 3 officers from downtown Louisville shooting; suspect dead". WAVE 3. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  23. ^ Hughes, Trevor. "Who is the Louisville shooter who killed four people at bank? What we know about suspect, motive". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  24. ^ Krauth, Olivia. "Old National Bank shooting: What we know about Louisville gunman Connor Sturgeon". Courier Journal. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  25. ^ Suddeath, Daniel (April 10, 2023). "Suspected Louisville bank shooter was Floyd Central grad". News and Tribune. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  26. ^ a b Sharp, Rachel; Sheets, Megan; Graziosi, Graig (April 11, 2023). "Basketball star, bank worker and mass shooter: What we know about Louisville gunman Connor Sturgeon". The Independent. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Father of Louisville bank shooter says they're having his brain tested for CTE". WLKY. April 14, 2023. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  28. ^ "Louisville shooter is a UA grad". WVUA. April 10, 2023. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Tucker, Emma (April 11, 2023). "What we know about the gunman who opened fire at a Louisville bank, killing 4 and injuring 9 others". CNN. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  30. ^ Morales, Mark; Wolfe, Elizabeth; Ly, Laura; Miller, John; Yan, Holly (April 11, 2023). "Louisville bank mass shooter a week ago legally bought the gun he used, police chief says". CNN. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  31. ^ Norton, Tom (April 11, 2023). "Louisville shooter's "Star Wars" post in his deleted Instagram account". Newsweek. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  32. ^ Hernandez, Joe (April 11, 2023). "The AR-15 rifle used in the Louisville shooting was bought legally". npr. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  33. ^ Miller, John; Almasy, Steve (April 20, 2023). "Louisville shooter left notes revealing part of his goal was to show how easily a mentally ill person can buy a gun in the US, sources say". CNN. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  34. ^ "Kentucky mass shooter detailed mental health issues and ease of gun purchase". The Guardian. Associated Press. November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  35. ^ Kaur, Anumita; Klemko, Robert (November 21, 2023). "Louisville bank shooter killed 5 people to highlight gun laws, police report shows". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  36. ^ Shapiro, Emily. "Louisville shooting live updates: 4 victims killed inside bank, 9 injured". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  37. ^ a b Luscombe, Richard (April 10, 2023). "At least five killed and six more injured in Louisville bank shooting". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  38. ^ "WHAS goes on the scene where the suspect lived before the shooting". WHAS-TV. April 10, 2023. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  39. ^ Carillo, Kevin. "23-103 Old National Bank Investigation". Louisville Metro Police.
  40. ^ Harbsmeier, Deborah (June 26, 2023). "Old National Bank reopens in Louisville". Spectrum News. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  41. ^ Koplowitz, Howard (April 13, 2023). "Louisville bank shooter Connor Sturgeon's brain to be tested for CTE, father says". AL.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  42. ^ Wolfson, Andrew (April 14, 2023). "Louisville bank gunman's brain to be tested for CTE, lawyer says after shooting killed 5 people". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  43. ^ Suckow, Alex (November 22, 2023). "No evidence of CTE in Louisville bank shooter's brain, medical experts say". WLKY. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  44. ^ Debusmann, Bernd Jr; Matza, Max (April 10, 2023). "Louisville, Kentucky shooting: Five people dead, police say". BBC News. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  45. ^ O'Brien, Brendan (April 10, 2023). "Five dead after shooting attack in downtown Louisville". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  46. ^ Vogt, Dustin; Caldwell, Michael (April 10, 2023). "5 killed, 8 injured from downtown Louisville shooting; suspect dead". WAVE. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  47. ^ Chambers, Francesca (April 10, 2023). "After mass shooting in Louisville, Biden pushes Republicans in Congress to pass reforms". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  48. ^ Garrison, Joey (March 28, 2023). "'Congress has to act': Biden says there's nothing more he can do on his own to address guns". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.