A devastating attack unfolded in Kentucky on Monday morning as a gunman armed with an AR-15-style semiautomatic assault rifle targeted a bank in downtown Louisville. The violent incident resulted in the death of five people and injuries to eight others, including a police officer who was shot in the head and had to undergo brain surgery. Louisville police responded to the scene within three minutes of receiving reports of “shots fired,” ultimately killing the shooter in an exchange of gunfire.
The assailant was identified as a 25-year-old employee of Old National Bank, who shockingly live-streamed the massacre on social media while targeting his co-workers. Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear mourned the loss of three close friends, among them bank vice president Thomas Elliott, a longtime Democratic Party donor.
In an emotional statement, Gov. Andy Beshear said, “This is awful. I have a very close friend that didn’t make it today. And I have another close friend who didn’t, either, and one who’s at the hospital, that I hope is going to make it through.”
Adding to the tragedy, just two hours after the Louisville mass shooting, one person was killed, and another injured at a nearby community college. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have already been 146 mass shootings in the United States this year. This recent surge of violence brings renewed scrutiny to Republican efforts to further deregulate guns. Notably, U.S. Congressmember Thomas Massie of Kentucky, whose district includes parts of Louisville’s suburbs, previously tweeted a photo in 2021 of himself and six family members holding assault-style rifles, captioned, “Merry Christmas! ps. Santa, please bring ammo.”
As young and millennial readers of The Young Turks, we must not only mourn the lives lost in senseless acts of violence but also demand action to address the root causes of gun violence. Our society must prioritize the safety and well-being of all citizens over the interests of the gun lobby and politicians who continue to support dangerous deregulation. Let us join together to push for common-sense gun control measures and work to prevent future tragedies like the one that unfolded in Louisville.
