A 25-year-old who killed five people at a bank in downtown Louisville earlier this month left behind writings describing his motivations ahead of the mass shooting, according to a report.
The writings, which have not been viewed by The Independent, reportedly describe the gunman intending to make a statement about mental health issues and gun access in the US, as well as expressing suicidal thoughts, according to The Daily Mail.
The shooting, which took place around 8.30am at a branch of Old National Bank, injured eight people and killed five employees at the bank: Tommy Elliott, Joshua Barrick, Juliana Farmer, Deana Eckert and James Tutt.
The victims included close friends of Kentucky governor Andy Beshear, who has spoken candidly about the personal toll of the shooting.
“This is awful,” he said of Elliot following the shooting. “I have a very close friend who didn’t make it today.”
“He was one of the people I talked to most in the world, and very rarely were we talking about my job,” the governor added during a press conference.
Connor Sturgeon purchased the AR-15-style rifle used in the massacre legally at a local dealership not long before the shooting, according to police.
The 25-year-old allegedly posted disturbing messages on social media and left a voicemail with a friend describing feeling “suicidal” and his plans to “kill everyone at the bank”.
The body of the gunman, who was fatally shot by police, will be tested posthumously for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), his father has said.
CTE is a brain disease caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries, including concussions and non-concussive impacts, according to the Boston University CTE Center.
Sturgeon’s family have said he suffered from “mental health challenges” but showed no warning signs of wanting to commit violence.
Sturgeon’s history of concussions was first revealed by a former classmate who told The Daily Beast that he was injured to the point of wearing a helmet on the basketball court.
“The big thing I keep going back to is that in the first year of high school, we played football together in eighth grade, he was out most of the year because he had multiple concussions,” said the former classmate, who did not want to be named.
“Then he had a couple more in high school.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
