Tragedy struck on Monday morning in Louisville, Kentucky, as a 23-year-old bank employee opened fire at his workplace with a rifle, claiming the lives of four people and injuring nine others. This senseless act of targeted violence left many questions with few immediate answers.
Connor Sturgeon, the shooter, was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel described the shooting as “an evil act of targeted violence.” As the despicable crime was live-streamed on social media, Facebook and Instagram promptly took down the video.
The victims of the attack have been identified as Josh Barrick, Jim Tutt, Juliana Farmer, and Tommy Elliott, a personal friend of Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear. Beshear spoke of the heartbreaking tragedy: “These are irreplaceable, amazing individuals that a terrible act of violence tore from all of us.”
Deputy Police Chief Paul Humphrey accredited the reaction made by responding police officers as having preserved lives.
Tragically, this is the 15th mass killing in America this year. Two weeks ago in Nashville, Tennessee, three children, and three adults were killed by a previous student at an elementary school.