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Gunman who killed five in Louisville left note, bought rifle legally

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks at a news conference near the scene of a shooting in downtown Louisville, April 10, 2023. At least five people were killed and eight others were injured in a shooting at a bank downtown on Monday morning, the police said. The suspected gunman died at the scene.   (Natosha Via/The New York Times)
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks at a news conference near the scene of a shooting in downtown Louisville, April 10, 2023. At least five people were killed and eight others were injured in a shooting at a bank downtown on Monday morning, the police said. The suspected gunman died at the scene.   (Natosha Via/The New York Times)
By Tim Arango New York Times

The 25-year-old man who opened fire Monday at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, killing five people, told at least one person that he was suicidal before the rampage and legally purchased the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting at a local dealership last week, officials said Tuesday morning.

Speaking at a news briefing, the officials also said they had carried out a search warrant at the home of the gunman, who died in an exchange of gunfire with police, and recovered several items. Police said they would release body camera footage Tuesday afternoon from officers who responded to the shooting.

“We know he left a note,” Rep. Morgan McGarvey, a Democrat whose district includes Louisville, said of the gunman at the briefing. “We know he texted or called at least one person to let them know he was suicidal and contemplating harm.”

Four victims remained hospitalized Tuesday, said Dr. Jason Smith, the chief medical officer at University of Louisville Health. Two of those people, including Nickolas Wilt, 26, who had recently graduated from the police academy and was working his fourth shift as a police officer when he responded to the shooting, remained in critical condition. Four other people who had been wounded have been released from the hospital, while another who had initially survived the shooting, Deana Eckert, 57, died overnight.

The other victims, all employees of Old National Bank like Eckert, were Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliott, 63; Juliana Farmer, 45; and James Tutt, 64.

Mayor Craig Greenberg of Louisville, a Democrat, praised the quick response from the Red Cross, which provided 170 units of blood to treat victims Monday. Noting the enormous amount of blood needed to treat gunshot wounds, Greenberg urged residents of Louisville to donate blood.

Police have identified the gunman as Connor Sturgeon, who listed his profession as a “syndications associate and portfolio banker” at Old National Bank on his LinkedIn page.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.