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(Trends Wide) — A 26-year-old Louisville rookie police officer – who graduated from the police academy just 10 days ago – was hospitalized after being shot in the head while responding to a mass shooting Monday at a downtown bank. which left four dead and nine injured, police said.
Officer Nickolas Wilt, of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, is in critical but stable condition at a hospital and underwent brain surgery, said Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, acting chief of the police department. He was hit in the head during a shootout with the gunman at the bank, she said during a news conference.
Wilt was new to the department, having graduated from the police academy on March 31, the chief said.
“I just swore him in, and his family was there to witness his journey to become a police officer,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.
The shooting at the Old National Bank occurred just after 8:30 a.m., according to police, about 30 minutes before the bank opens its doors to the public.
The agents came within three minutes of being notified and discovered that the armed man was still shooting inside the bank, according to the authorities. Police engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was killed, according to Gwinn-Villaroel.
The shooter was identified by authorities as Connor Sturgeon, a 23-year-old employee.
Another officer was also injured in the attack. That officer was hospitalized after receiving a blow to the elbow, the chief said.
The four victims, ranging in age from 40 to 64, were identified as Joshua Barrick, Juliana Farmer, Tommy Elliott and James Tutt. Among the victims was a close friend of Governor Andy Beshear, whom he credited with helping him both professionally and in his personal life.
Of the nine injured people, three are hospitalized in critical condition – including Wilt – three are in non-critical condition and three have been released, the chief said.
“This will be a long and complex investigation involving local, state and federal partners,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told Trends Wide that he visited Wilt at the University of Louisville Hospital, saying Wilt “came through the operation and is in critical condition right now at the hospital, but he’s in good hands.”
Greenberg said he presented Wilt with his graduation diploma from the police academy.
“I paid a visit to his academy class who were there at the hospital offering support, offering support to him and his family today,” the mayor said.
— Trends Wide’s Eric Levenson, Kristina Sgueglia and John Miller contributed to this report.
