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Louisville — Following the recent massacre at a Louisville bank, the United States is once again confronted with the age-old issue of mass shootings.
Louisville police are still gathering evidence to figure out what triggered the fatal shooting inside a downtown bank.
The shooting killed five people and injured many more, including a police officer who was gravely injured during a shootout with the attacker.
What happened?
Connor Sturgeon, a 25-year-old bank employee, was confirmed as the shooter by Louisville police.
Authorities say Sturgeon was livestreaming when he opened fire at the Old National Bank.
He acquired access to the conference during a morning staff meeting, according to Rebecca Buchheit-Sims, a bank manager.
Buchheit-Sims was practically there at the conference, and she felt powerless as she watched the disaster unfold on her computer screen in terror.
“I witnessed people being murdered,” she said. “I don’t know how else to say that.”
Deana Eckert, 57, was one of the hospitalized patients, but according to officials, she passed away on Monday.
It’s unclear if Eckert was one of the three seriously sick patients who were admitted earlier that day.
The following people died early Monday morning, according to Louisville police:
- Joshua Barrick, 40
- Tommy Elliott, 63
- Juliana Farmer, 45
- James Tutt, 64
The gunman
Connor Sturgeon interned at the bank for three summers and worked full-time for nearly two years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
According to a law enforcement source close to the investigation, the bank notified him that he would be fired.
Sturgeon, according to the insider, sent a message to his parents and a friend stating his intention to shoot the bank.
The precise time the message was discovered, however, is unknown.
According to police, the shooter was still firing when authorities arrived.
Sturgeon was later killed in a firefight with police, wounding two officers, one of whom was shot in the head.
Read also: Corporate America keeps tight lid amid gun violence
The shooting
According to Louisville police, the shooting began at 8:30 a.m., 30 minutes before the bank opened to the public.
Rebecca Buchheit-Sims, a bank employee, alleged Sturgeon opened fire in a conference room during a morning meeting.
Caleb Goodlett, the husband of a bank employee, said his wife called him after taking refuge inside a locked vault.
When he dialed 911, officers were already on the scene.
“Just a very traumatic phone call to get,” said Goodlett.
He afterwards visited his wife, who was unharmed.
Connor Sturgeon died after being shot by police, according to officials.
Nickolas Wilt, a rookie police officer of 26 years old, went to the shootout and was shot in the head.
He had recently graduated from the police academy.
According to interim Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, Wilt underwent brain surgery.
He was still in critical condition as of Monday afternoon, but his condition later stabilized.
The weapon
Connor Sturgeon used an AR-15-style rifle, according to a federal law enforcement source.
The semi-automatic rifle is the most popular sporting firearm in the United States.
30% of gun owners possess an AR-15 or a similar-style firearm, according to the 2021 National Firearms Survey.
Many past mass shootings, like the two-week-old Nashville Covenant School massacre, used the firearm or variants of it.
2023 shooting numbers
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the Louisville incident was the 146th mass shooting in 2023.
Mass shootings continue to occur on a regular basis in the United States.
The incident in Louisville happened barely two weeks after a shooting at a Tennessee Christian school killed three children and three adults.
The two shootings have triggered a fierce discussion among Democratic and Republican state politicians about gun control.
In honor of the victims, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff until Friday evening.
However, some Democratic politicians are afraid that the outpouring of grief would not result in significant gun violence solutions.
State Senator David Yates said:
“My worry is that everybody will raise their firsts in anger and mourn and then in six weeks, eight weeks we go back to doing the same thing – nothing.”
“I hope that they all don’t have to die in vain like so many of the other victims of these mass shootings. Maybe something positive can come from it.”
President Joe Biden has made another call for gun control legislation, targeting Republican senators.
“Too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives,” Biden tweeted.
“When will Republicans in Congress act to protect our communities?”
According to the Old National Bank Facebook page, upon the announcement of the shooting, CEO Jim Ryan and other key team members traveled to Louisville.
“As we await more details, we are deploying employee assistance support and keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers,” said Ryan.
