The 911 call from the mother of the gunman in the Louisville, Kentucky bank shooting has been released.
On Monday, April 10, a 25-year-old bank employee at the Old National Bank in downtown Lousiville opened fire. Five were killed and eight others were injured, including a newly sworn-in police officer who was shot in the head.
Louisville, Kentucky Officials Release 911 Call Made From Bank Shooter’s Mother
On Wednesday, April 12, law enforcement officials released 911 calls from the shooter’s mother after she heard that he had a gun and was heading toward the bank. In the call, which has since made its way to social media, the mother said that her son “apparently left a note” about the incident, although police have yet to disclose a motive at this time.
“My son might be (redacted) has a gun and heading to the Old National on Main Street here in Louisville,” she can be heard saying in the recording. “This is his mother. I’m so sorry, I’m getting details secondhand. I’m learning about it now. Oh my Lord.”
“He’s never hurt anyone, he’s a really good kid,” she added. “We don’t even own guns. I don’t know where he would have gotten a gun.”
Law enforcement officials have previously stated that the bank employee, who has been identified as Connor Sturgeon, legally purchased an AR-15-style rifle to shoot his coworkers and responding police officers before he was shot dead by police. The attack was livestreamed by the shooter about thirty minutes before the bank was scheduled to open at 9 AM.
In another 911 video, via CNN, a caller reported that a 26-year-old rookie police officer, Nickolas Wilt, had been shot in the head after graduating from the police academy only ten days earlier. “I just wanted to make sure you understood that there was an officer down,” a man can be heard saying. “There are several officers here now, but the one hasn’t moved since he’s been shot. … I haven’t seen a foot or anything moving.”
The first 911 call reportedly came from a woman who worked at a different branch of the Old National Bank and happened to see the shooting on video as the gunman was live-streaming it. When the operator asks the woman how she knew there was an active shooter on site, she replied, “I just watched it. I just watched it on a Teams meeting. We were having a board meeting.”
“I saw somebody on the floor. We heard multiple shots and people started saying ‘Oh my God,’ and then he came into the board room,” she explained. Another woman who worked at the bank whispered through the phone that she was hiding in a closet as gunshots could be heard in the background.
The woman said, “I know who it is,” adding, “He works with us.” Another group of employees called 911 from the fourth floor asking for a status update. “We are on the fourth floor. We are trying to get the status of what’s going on,” the man says, adding, “We’re tucked under a desk right now.”
Shooter’s Family Say That Gunman Had Depression, Mental Health Struggles
In addition to the 911 calls, the shooter’s family also released a statement on Wednesday, claiming that the shooter suffered from depression among other mental health struggles. In a statement to WDRB, the family said it had “unanswered questions” about the shooting but is cooperating fully with the investigation.
“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,” the family said in a statement. “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 traumatized by his senseless acts of violence and are deeply grateful for the bravery and heroism of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department,” they added.
A former high school classmate of the gunman said there was no “sort of red flag or signal that this could ever happen,” adding, “This is a total shock. He was a really good kid who came from a really good family.” Although they admitted that they haven’t spoken with the shooter in a few years, they added, “I can’t even say how much of this doesn’t make sense. I can’t believe it.”
