Kentucky mass shooting: Gunman kills 5 in bank shooting, live streams shooting on Instagram
Five people were killed and nine others were injured, including a rookie police officer, in a shooting at Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 11.
The attacker, identified as 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon, opened fire with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and live-streamed the attack on Instagram. He was an employee at the bank and had no previous contact with law enforcement.
Sturgeon had been recently informed that he was going to be fired from his job and had written a note describing his plans for the mass shooting. Police responded to the attack within three minutes and fatally shot the attacker in an exchange of gunfire.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described one of the victims, Tommy Elliot, a senior vice president at the bank, as an “incredible friend” who had helped him build his law career and become governor.
The shooting is the latest in the US which has seen 146 mass shootings in 2023 so far, there has been at least 15 since the start of April.
President Joe Biden called for Congress to pass gun control measures in response to the shooting, stating that “too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives”. Kentucky is one of 26 states that allow most adults over 21 years old to purchase and carry a firearm without a licence.
The victims have all been identified:
- Thomas Elliot, 63
- James Tutt, 64
- Joshua Barrick, 40
- Julianna Farmer, 45
- Deana Eckert, 57
The policeman who was shot in the head was identified as Louisville Metro officer Nickolas Wilt, 26.
