Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg spoke with ABC News' Trevor Ault and pledged to make reducing gun violence his top priority in office, hours after four people, including his own friend, were gunned down inside a downtown bank.
"We have to take action. Today is a day for love and support to the victims… but this is life and death, so as mayor, this will continue to be our number one priority," Greenberg – who was a victim of a workplace attack last year, said in the interview that took place a block away the bank.
Greenberg called his emotions "raw."
“The second I got the alert that there was an active shooter going on, of course my mind immediately went back to the workplace shooting that I survived just over a year ago," he said. "I know many people who work in that building, so I was thinking about them and everyone that was there."
-ABC News' Will McDuffie
Apr 10, 2023, 5:30 PM EDT
Shooting suspect was going to be fired from job: Sources
The suspected gunman who shot and killed four people at a downtown Louisville bank had recently been notified he was going to be fired from Old National Bank, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Connor Sturgeon had interned at Old National Bank for three years before earning a full-time job in June 2021, sources said. He had been promoted in April 2022.
There was no immediate indication why he was notified he would be terminated, according to sources.
The suspect allegedly left a note to parents and friends indicating he was going to shoot up the bank, sources said.
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
Apr 10, 2023, 6:44 PM EDT
Suspect worked at the bank, was armed with rifle
The suspected shooter, 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon, was armed with a rifle when he allegedly carried out a mass shooting at the Old National Bank, where he worked, according to police.
The suspect was livestreaming, police said, though officials did not elaborate.
Authorities said the suspect was killed by police.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear speaks with police deploying at the scene of a shooting near Slugger Field baseball stadium in downtown Louisville, Ky., April, 10, 2023.
Michael Clevenger/USA Today Network via Reuters
Nine people were hospitalized, including three currently in critical condition, said Dr. Jason Smith, chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health. Three victims are in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the three others have been released, Smith said.
Bullet holes are seen in the front windows of the Old National Bank building in Louisville, Ky., April 10, 2023.
Timothy D. Easley/AP
Among the nine injured is 26-year-old police officer Nickolas Wilt, who was shot in the head while running toward the gunfire, according to police. He underwent brain surgery and is in critical but stable condition, police said.
Wilt just graduated from the police academy on March 31.
The four slain victims were identified by police as Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and James Tutt, 64.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Elliott was "a very good friend of mine" and of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
"This was an evil act of targeted violence," the mayor said.
The mayor said that he was also a survivor of a workplace shooting, and said to the survivors, "Whether you were physically hurt or not, I know you’re hurting, too."
Law enforcement officers gather outside the front entrance of the Old National Bank building after a gunman opened fire on April 10, 2023 in Louisville, Ky.
Luke Sharrett/Getty Images
"Today, I'm hurt and I'm hurting, and I know so many people out there are, as well," Beshear said. "We lost four children of God today, one whom is one of my closest friends. Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad. ... He was an incredible friend."
The governor said of all four victims, "These are irreplaceable, amazing individuals."
Apr 10, 2023, 2:56 PM EDT
Biden: 'When will Republicans in Congress act?'
President Joe Biden tweeted Monday, "Once again, our nation mourns after a senseless act of gun violence."
“Jill and I pray for the lives lost and impacted by today's shooting. Too many Americans are paying for the price of inaction with their lives," he wrote. "When will Republicans in Congress act to protect our communities?”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Monday's briefing, "Once again, today the president has called on Republicans in Congress to work together with Democrats to take action to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe storage of firearms, to require background checks for all gun sales, to eliminate gun manufacturers' immunity from liability."
"These are common sense actions we can ask for and should be getting right now," she said.
"We need to act and we need Republicans to show some courage," she said.
