A shooter who murdered four people in a bank in the USA today was a "disgruntled former employee" according to police, who found him dead when they arrived.
The gunman was found dead at the scene when officers arrived at the Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky on Monday morning around 8am, reports the Mirror.
Deputy Police Chief Col. Paul Humphrey said the shooter was a "lone gunman" and was thought to have "a previous connection" to the bank.
He said: "We're trying to establish what the connection was to the business but it appears he was a previous employee.
"Shortly after [receiving the call], officers arrived on scene, with Louisville Metro Fire and EMS where they encountered active gunshots still being fired inside the location at that time.
"The shooter was confirmed to be dead on the scene, we do not know exactly the circumstances of his death at this time.
"Five people have been confirmed to have been killed inside, at least six were transported to University of Louisville Hospital, including one officer, with various injuries. We are unable to confirm the status of those who have been transported at this time."
An eyewitness said he saw police cars speeding the wrong way down Main Street toward the bank. Around 20 officers then charged into the bank after exiting their vehicles.
He described hearing around 10-15 gunshots being fired and "people screaming" within the bank. It is unclear at this stage whether it was police bullet or one of the shooter's own which killed him.
Armed police reportedly had to force their way into the bank, where workers were thought to have taken shelter inside a vault.
The tragedy happened just 170 miles from Nashville, where a gunman opened fire at a Christian school on March 27, killing six people. There have been at least 146 mass shootings in the US in 2023 so far, just 100 days into the year.
A mass shooting is defined by the US Government as any incident where four or more people are killed by gunfire.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear gave an emotionally-charged speech where he said two close friends had died in the shooting, and another was currently in hospital.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took to Twitter to denounce the killings, and made calls to end gun violence, saying: "The tragedy in Lousville, Kentucky, is the 15th mass shooting in the first 10 days of April. Our hearts break for all affected.
"Too many families are grieving loss - but we are not helpless. We can act; we must act to End Gun Violence."
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