12 April 2023 , 07:17
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The Louisville mass shooter's family has spoken out against the "senseless violence" committed by their boy.
On Monday, 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon was carrying a legally-bought AR-15 when he entered a bank in Louisville just after 8.30am.
What ensued was a vicious mass shooting, which killed five senior executives and left eight others injured.
Within six minutes, police were on the scene and broke down the doors of the Old National Bank to find Sturgeon waiting for them. He shot one officer, Nickolas Wilt, in the head - killing him instantly.
His fellow officers then mowed down the killer.
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Breaking their silence after the heinous deed, Sturgeon's family has spoken of their "sorrow, anguish and horror" and lamented the "unthinkable harm" their son caused.
Sturgeon killed five of his colleagues (Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock)A family statement reads: "No words can express our sorrow, anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community."
"We mourn their loss and that of our son, Connor. We pray for everyone traumatised by his senseless acts of violence and are deeply grateful for the bravery and heroism of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department.
"While Connor, like many of his contemporaries, had mental health challenges which we, as a family, were actively addressing, there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act.
Sturgeon had worked at the bank for a number of years and reportedly knew he was about to be fired (Linkedin)"While we have many unanswered questions, we will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do all we can to aid everyone in understanding why and how this happened."
In a few short minutes, the disgruntled employee took the lives of five of his colleagues at the Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky.
The full motive hasn't yet been revealed but Sturgeon had worked at the bank for years, first as an intern, and reportedly knew he was about to be fired.
Six people were killed, including the shooter, with nine being taken to hospital for treatment.
Sturgeon and two of his colleaguesThe five victims have been identified as Joshua Barrick, 40, Thomas Elliot, 63, Juliana Farmer, 45, James Tutt, 64, and Deana Eckert, 57.
Sturgeon wrote a note to loved ones before going to the bank, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said.
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The note to Sturgeon's parents and a friend said he was going to open fire in the bank.
It is not clear whether it was read before the incident or whether it was physical note.
According to a dispatcher dealing with the shooting, Sturgeon called a friend before the attack and left a voicemail saying that he felt suicidal and planned to "kill everyone at the bank".
In the minutes before bullets started flying, Sturgeon made a number of posts on his now deleted Instagram account.
One said: "They won't listen to words or protests. Let's see if they hear this."