On Monday morning, a single shooter ran into a bank located in Louisville, Kentucky, leaving five people dead and injuring eight. Connor Sturgeon, 25, was identified as the suspect. He had worked for the bank for three summers, eventually joining in 2021 as a commercial development professional and a full-time associate and portfolio banker last year, according to his LinkedIn profile.
At 8:30 a.m., the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) said Sturgeon began firing shots inside the bank before it had opened to the public. Witnesses reported seeing Sturgeon with a long assault rifle, shooting multiple times on the first floor.
Sturgeon was broadcasting his attack through Instagram, and was shot dead by police after aiming his rifle at them, according to Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel. CNN reported that Sturgeon had left a message for his parents and a friend indicating that he was going to shoot up the bank, and that he had been told he was going to be fired.
Rickey Readus, a Louisville citizen, shared with reporters that employees were running to find shelter in nearby businesses. Other people inside the bank took refuge in conference rooms and bathrooms after hearing the gunfire. Tammy Madigan, an employee, told the Daily Beast that she and five other people hid in the men’s restroom, turning off all the sound on their phones.
LMPD Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said officers arrived quickly, clearing the streets and confronting the shooter. He added that police officers exchanged shots with the gunman and he died at the scene, however, it is still uncertain whether Sturgeon took his own life or was killed by police.
The University of Louisville Hospital said it had nine patients, including two policemen and seven civilians. One of the officers was reported in critical condition. The hospital mentioned at least three patients had been discharged, but did not provide information on the other injured victims.
Sturgeon was a graduate of the University of Alabama, where he obtained a master’s degree in finance in 2020. His father, Todd, was a former boys basketball coach at the University of Indianapolis and is currently a teacher of US history at Floyd Central High School in Indiana, where Sturgeon also attended.
He was an athlete, playing basketball, football, and running track in school, according to an anonymous classmate. The classmate told the Daily Beast that Sturgeon had worn a helmet while playing football due to multiple concussions. A photo from Sturgeon’s junior year at Floyd Central High showed him wearing a helmet during a basketball game, where he scored almost half of the team’s points.