A Louisville mass shooter who killed five colleagues and injured eight others during an attack on a bank claimed he was motivated by lax gun laws and wanted to spur politicians to action, a new police report shows.
Connor Sturgeon, 25, bought an AR-15 and stormed the Old National Bank where he worked on April 10, 2023. The fatalities included Thomas Elliott, 63, a close friend of the governor, and four other bank employees, Joshua Barrick. , 40, Juliana Farmer, 45, Deana Eckert, 57, and James Tutt, 64.
In his personal writings, revealed in the new police report, the gunman said: “I have decided to make an impact. These people didn’t deserve to die, but because I was depressed and could buy guns, they’re gone,” Sturgeon wrote just six days before he opened fire.
He added: “Maybe this is the impact of change: upper-class white people are dying. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do this if it were harder to get a gun.
“I know our politicians are solely focused on lining their own pockets, but maybe this will knock some sense into them. If not, good luck’.
Connor Sturgeon, 25, who killed five people and injured eight others during a rampage at an Old National Bank on April 10, said he turned to murder to protest lax gun laws.
Sturgeon, pictured the day after buying an AR-15, said he wanted to urge politicians to tighten gun laws
His diary entries were revealed as part of a police report into the horrific attack, in which Sturgeon was shot dead by police.
A receipt obtained by police shows the shooter purchased an AR-15 on April 4 for $499.99.
On the same day, he wrote about his “goals” to “bring about change – gun laws,” according to the report.
“Oh my god, this is so easy,” he wrote the day before the shooting. “Seriously, I knew I knew it would be doable, but this is ridiculous. Walked in and bought a gun, 4 magazines and 120 rounds for $700. Got glasses and earplugs.
‘It’s actually unbelievable how easy this all was. … There’s nothing anyone could have done.”
Sturgeon also described a long battle with depression, saying he “may be a psychopath” and is “definitely very ill.”
“I’m just tired of fighting,” he added. “I would never reach my full potential.” He also railed against ‘those in power’.
“Dems get rich doing nothing in the name of civility, while allowing Republicans to do whatever they want, with whomever they want,” he said. “A level of corruption that stands directly between us and progress.
‘But let’s not forget the most important player here. The one who made this all possible. Let’s give it up for the NRA (…) I couldn’t have done this without all your lobbying money.”
Sturgeon was shot dead by police after the early morning rampage in which he killed five senior bank executives
Connor Sturgeon (far right) is pictured with his parents Todd and Linda, and his younger brother Cameron, a professional model. Minutes before the shooting, he sent his family an “I love you” text
A social media post also provides a chilling insight into Sturgeon’s mindset before the killings.
The last known photo of him was a selfie of him grinning in a mirror, taken the day after he bought his gun. Detectives linked the image to the ‘Joker Face’ trend on social media.
On the day of the shooting, Sturgeon posted Instagram stories with phrases like “They don’t listen to words or protests, let’s see if they hear this” and “I know what to do, I just don’t know if I did it ‘. the power to do it” before the horror is broadcast live, the report said.
Sturgeon himself was later ‘neutralized’ by police after they arrived on the scene, but not before he managed to shoot a police officer in the head.
Rookie officer Nickolas Wilt, 26, had graduated from the police academy just 11 days before he was shot. He was placed on a ventilator for a month before being released from the hospital.
Thomas Elliott, 63, one of Governor Andy Beshear’s “best” friends, in the mass shooting at Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky. Also killed was James “Jim” Tutt, 64, a marketing executive at the bank
Joshua Barrick, 40, vice president of commercial real estate at the bank, was also killed by the lone gunman, as was Juliana Farmer, 45.
Deana Eckert, 57, an executive administrative assistant at the bank, was also killed in the shooting
Surviving victims and family members are taking legal action against Radical Firearms, the Texas company that produced the Sturgeon rifle, the Washington Post reports.
“Our legal team will immediately review this report in detail as we continue to prepare civil litigation in this case,” attorneys from Thomas Law Offices and Romanucci and Blandin told the newspaper.
“Most importantly, our thoughts are with our clients this week as they process this painful report, while many of them have an empty chair at their Thanksgiving table or reflect on the deep trauma they have experienced this year.”
The mass shooting was the 146th in America in 2023 and occurred just weeks after a school shooting in Nashville, just a three-hour drive from Louisville.
Moments before opening fire, Sturgeon texted his family to tell them he loved them.
Joe Biden later accused Republicans of failing to tackle the gun violence epidemic.
“How many more Americans have to die before Republicans in Congress will act to protect our communities?” The President said.
“The need for secure storage of firearms is long overdue. Require background checks for all gun sales. Eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability. We can and must do these things now.”
Officer Nickolas Wilt was 11 days away from graduating from the police academy when he was shot in the head during the crash.
Kentucky has no “red flag” laws that prevent the sale of guns to those considered potentially dangerous.
However, the shooter had no criminal history and thus easily passed the required federal checks.
Friends of Sturgeon described their surprise that the “smart, popular” former star athlete was behind the killing.
They suggested that a series of concussions suffered while playing sports could have changed his way of thinking.
