Among the victims of the shooting, which resulted in fatalities and the death of the shooter, was identified as a "very close friend" of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, according to sources.
According to the
police, responding officers engaged in gunfire with the gunman, but it remains
unclear at this time whether the shooter died from police gunfire or from a
self-inflicted wound.
Kentucky Gov. Andy
Beshear was visibly emotional as he spoke to reporters, revealing that two of
the individuals who lost their lives in the shooting were close friends of his.
Beshear also mentioned that during his 2015 campaign for attorney general, the
building where the incident took place served as his campaign headquarters.
"This is an awful situation," Beshear expressed, further stating,
"I have a very close friend who didn't survive today, and another close
friend who didn't make it either, and one who is currently in the hospital, and
I'm hoping they pull through."
Based on information
from a federal law enforcement source who has been briefed on the attack, it is
believed that the gunman was an employee and may have had mental health issues.
Deputy Chief Paul
Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department stated that two officers
were injured in the incident. One of the officers was rushed into surgery,
while the other sustained a non-life-threatening injury.
The wounded
individuals were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital, with two of
them, including the officer, listed in critical condition, as mentioned by
Humphrey. At this time, their names have not been released.
According to Deputy
Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, the investigation
indicates that the shooter was a lone individual who had a connection to the
bank and was likely a previous employee.
The prompt response of
the officers averted further loss of life and injuries, as stated by the
Louisville police.
Humphrey expressed
that the heroic actions of the officers undoubtedly saved lives, stating,
"This was a tragic event, but it was the courageous response of the
officers that prevented more serious injuries from occurring."
Mayor Craig Greenberg
also extended his gratitude to the officers for their life-saving efforts.
Greenberg himself narrowly escaped harm last year when a gunman entered his
campaign office and fired shots, grazing his sweater.
"We stand
together as a community to prevent these horrific acts of gun violence from
persisting in our city and state," Greenberg emphasized. "Thanks to
the diligent work of our law enforcement, we are a safer and stronger
community.
Main Street, spanning
from North Floyd to North Preston streets in the heart of Kentucky's largest
city, was filled with police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks in response to
the incident.
There is currently no
information available on whether the bank had a security guard stationed at the
location where the shooting occurred on Monday.
According to a
statement from Old National Bank CEO Jim Ryan, the safety of their employees
and customers at their banking center locations is of utmost importance. Ryan
also expressed condolences and prayers for those affected by the tragic
incident. The incident occurred near Slugger Field, which is the home stadium
of the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The
police used the stadium as a base of operations while responding to the
incident at the bank and also had to address another shooting just a mile away
at Jefferson Community and Technical College. Although the two attacks are
unrelated, classes at the school were canceled. Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell and his wife, Elaine Chao, expressed gratitude to the police for their
swift and courageous response on Monday.
In a statement,
Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell expressed devastation over the news
from Louisville and thanked the Louisville Metro Police Department and first
responders for their bravery. He offered prayers for the victims, their
families, and the city of Louisville, while awaiting further information.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden also sent prayers for the
victims. President Biden lamented that the shooting was yet another senseless act
of gun violence in the United States, and questioned when Republicans in
Congress would take action to protect communities. This incident marks the
latest mass shooting in America, occurring just two weeks after another tragic
shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, where six
people, including three young children, were killed. There have been several
other instances of workplace mass shootings in the past five months.
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| Gunfire Erupts in Louisville's Downtown Area |
In recent months, there have been multiple incidents of mass shootings in various locations across the United States. On January 23, seven farmworkers were tragically killed in Half Moon Bay, California. On November 22 of the previous year, six Walmart workers lost their lives in Chesapeake, Virginia. Additionally, on November 20, four people were killed at a marijuana farm in Hennessey, Oklahoma. The recent incident in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday also stirred painful memories for long-time residents who recall the tragic event that occurred on September 14, 1989, when a disgruntled employee named Joseph Wesbecker entered the Standard Gravure printing plant with an AK-47, resulting in the loss of eight lives. Wesbecker, aged 47, died from a self-inflicted
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