Four bank executives are dead following a mass shooting in Louisville, Kentucky. The Louisville Metro Police Department says the shooting happened at the Old National Bank in the downtown area of the city. Authorities first received calls about a shooting at the bank around 8:30 a.m. local time. Initially, police simply reported that a shooting with multiple incidents had taken place. and that multiple people were dead. Later, the department stated that five people had been dead. Initially, this caused confusion as to whether the shooter was among those killed. However, the department has confirmed that the shooter was fatally shot along with four victims.
In addition to the fatalities, 9 more people were injured in Monday's mass shooting. Initially, the department withheld the names of those killed while their families could be notified. Subsequently, the department has released the names of the victims on Facebook. The victims include Joshua Barrick, 40, Thomas Elliot, 63, Juliana Farmer, 45, and James Tutt, 64. The person who committed Monday's mass shooting has not been identified. However, officers can confirm that the shooter was killed by a police officer.
Mass Shooting Hits Close To Home For Kentucky Governor
The department announced that the officer was Nikolas Wilt. Authorities also revealed that Wilt is suffering from critical injuries after being shot in the exchange. The department says Wilt is a new officer who was just recently sworn in. Subsequently, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear held an emotional press conference to address the tragedy. "What these families are experiencing is unimaginable," he said. Additionally, Beshear revealed that he was directly impacted by the shooting. "I have a very close friend that didn't make it today," Beshear said, fighting back tears.
This is just the latest mass shooting to happen in the United States. Incredibly, this is the second mass shooting in two weeks to directly impact a sitting governor. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee says he lost a close friend during last week's school shooting in Nashville. Monday's tragedy marks the 135th mass shooting in America so far this year.
[Via]