A mass shooting that occurred at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed five lives and the death toll is expected to rise with several other victims in critical condition.
Kentucky mass shooting: Here’s the official death toll
As reported by BBC News, the Old National Bank in downtown Louisville, on Monday, hosted a gory mass murder scene, where multiple victims were attacked by an active shooter at approximately 08:30 (16:30 CAT).
Speaking to the media, Louisville Metro Police Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey confirmed at least five victims died at the scene, while six others, including one officer in critical condition, were rushed to the University of Louisville Hospital for emergency treatment.
At this time, the identity of the Kentucky mass shooter remains unconfirmed. However, police hinted that the suspect, who died in a fiery shootout with LMPD first responders, has a history with the bank as a previous or current employee.
Moreover, unverified reports point to a man named Connor Sturgeon as the alleged Kentucky mass shooter but this has yet to be formally corroborated by authorities.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, speaking at a media briefing, revealed one of his close friends was killed during the mass shooting, while another was injured.
“Our bodies and our minds are not meant to go through these kinds of tragedies. Everyone around our city, our country, around the world, pray with us for those who are currently at U of L Hospital, injured, fighting for their lives as a result of another act of gun violence,” Beshear said.
PLEASE NOTE: The content embedded in this article contains images of a graphic nature that may be harmful to sensitive audiences. Viewers’ discretion is strongly advised. Swisher Post, its parent company, partners and affiliates do not condone violence and/or bullying and, thus, shall not be held liable for any consequence that arises from the journalistic duties performed in sharing this content.
This is a developing story.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, since 2014, the United States has averaged more than one mass shooting a day. The FBI has designated 61 shootings in 2021 as active shooter incidents, which they define as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people.
The 45 222 total gun deaths in 2020 were by far the most on record, representing a 14% increase from the year before, a 25% increase from five years earlier, and a 43% increase from a decade prior.
Gun murders, in particular, have climbed sharply in recent years. The 19 384 gun murders that took place in 2020 were the most since at least 1968.
While there is no official definition of mass shootings, the Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot, regardless of whether they are killed or injured, not including the shooter.
According to their data, there were 614 mass shootings in the United States in 2021, resulting in 505 deaths and 2,607 injuries.
