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Police: Four Killed, At Least Eight Hurt In Louisville Bank Shooting. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired April 10, 2023 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[11:30:00]

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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): An update now on the breaking news we are following. Police say at least four people have been killed, victims in a mass shooting, at least eight others injured, and at local hospitals in this shooting in Louisville, Kentucky. Now, police say this happened at the Old National blank -- bank which is right across from Slugger Field in Louisville.

Officials also say that the gunman did have a connection to this bank saying that he appears to be a previous employee there. Police did confirm moments ago as well, the gunman, the shooter is dead -- killed. They don't know yet if it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound or in an interaction with police but they do believe he acted alone.

We also just got an -- a statement from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for -- a Kentucky Republican of course, writing in a tweet this that Elaine and I are devastated by the news coming out of Louisville this morning. He also says thank you to the LMPD and our first responders for their bravery at the scene. He goes on to say as well that we send our prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville as they await more information.

Let's get over to Shimon Prokupecz who's following more detail -- more of this as this has been coming in. Shimon, one thing we've been talking about on set, we heard at the press conference was kind of the timeline of how this played out this morning. You have some more information as it relates to the response time.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME & JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Right. So, almost immediately after the 911 call, the police responded. They got there within three minutes when they encountered from what they described, the gunman -- the shooter. There was an exchange of gunfire. And so that's why they're saying they're not certain if the gunman took his own life or if they -- if they killed them. But certainly, the response here was very swift -- was very quick.

And the other interesting thing is that the bank doesn't open for business until about 9:00 a.m. And this happened sometime before that. So, one of the things certainly is how did this person get inside the bank? And that is something that authorities have not yet said. Obviously, the number of victims, many still remain in the hospital. We have two police officers that were injured, one of them is critical. And then the rest of the victims all inside -- all at the hospital.

[11:35:07]

The other thing. It does sound like, Kate, from everything we're hearing that there were a number of people, a number of employees inside this bank. It's unclear if anyone outside of the bank was injured. Because what happened is after police got to the scene, once they were able to contain this one area, they started doing searches of nearby buildings, nearby areas. And so, the entire area really like most of this downtown area, which was shut down as they were doing this investigation to make sure that there were no other shooters.

But obviously, you know, we're now hearing a lot that this shooter had some connection to the bank, either a current employee or former employee, police in their press conference weren't sure.

That obviously is going to be significant because, again -- time and time again, I -- you know, in these instances when we see these mass shootings, the perpetrators, the shooters end up having some kind of signal, sending some kind of signs that there was an issue, that something was going on, that someone knew something, and so that all is certainly up in the air right now.

And what was this person's relationship to the bank? What happened there? What happened in the days leading up to this? And, of course, a lot is going to be made about the guns and what happened here.

But what we're also seeing is just, you know, law enforcement, really, in these situations, not taking anything for granted. Just going at it, going towards the gunfire, trying to stop the threat, and certainly from what police so far describe, it paid off in this instance. Because of their quick actions, the police say the off -- the first initial officers save lives, Kate.

BOLDUAN: It's an -- it's understandable you know, this -- they said is the -- in the briefing, Shimon, they said that they were -- they encountered -- they were encountered gunfire -- hear gunfire as they were approaching the building in their response. I mean, it was an active situation as they're even approaching.

And you've covered these developing horrible, tragic stories like this, especially on tragic days like this one so many times before. It is striking when you hear from the Governor, his personal connection to this, and just how it is hitting so close to home for so many people.

PROKUPECZ: Yes. No, it is. And the other thing that's really interesting now in time and time again, certainly after the Uvalde situation, you know, officers are in there -- do these briefings. They are giving us these timelines.

I mean, they normally always do. But now it just seems like they want to make a point to say we got there quickly. We took action quickly. And also keep in mind, the Louisville Police Department is been heavily scrutinized with a civil rights investigation.

BOLDUAN: Right.

PROKUPECZ: The governor briefly mentioned that. So, this is something that certainly for the police department, they want to come out, they want to talk about it, their efforts to try and stop this gunman, certainly a very tragic situation and that they couldn't get there quicker. But three minutes is a fairly quick time.

And from everything that the police say here, they took action fairly quickly. Now, of course, the investigation, what led up to this? Those are very key questions that authority is certainly going to have to try and answer in the coming days.

BOLDUAN: Sure. Shimon, thank you for the update. Thanks for the perspective. Sara, John?

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): This is a really emotional moment. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear spoke at the press conference. And he said that at the bank location, he lost two friends in the shooting. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ANDY BESHEAR, (D-KY): This is awful. I have a very close friend that didn't make it today. And I have another close friend who did neither. And one who's at the hospital that I hope is going to make it through. So, when we talk about praying, I hope people will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: I want to bring in CNN political commentator Scott Jennings. You heard the governor there. He was you know, breaking his voice cracking because he lost two friends and there is a third person in critical. John Miller brought this point up just a moment ago that you know these shootings are happening so often.

Mass shootings and generally, shootings across the country were now at more than 145. That it's starting to become very personal because it's happening to people close to those with the power to change things. What do you see this doing, if anything, potentially to change the way things are I know you're from Kentucky yourself.

SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, I'm here in Louisville. My office is just a couple of miles outside of downtown. In fact, if I look out the window over here, I can see that part of downtown where this tragedy occurred.

That overhead shot you're seeing in eastern downtown Louisville, you see a baseball field, that's the Louisville Slugger Field. That's where our Triple-A baseball team plays. And I have season tickets. I take my kids there all the time. That's a very heavily trafficked part of downtown Louisville.

[11:40:02] And I think one thing about Governor Beshear's comments that were striking to me is you know Louisville is the biggest city in Kentucky but it's a very small town. I mean, everybody here has connections to everybody. In the previous campaigns, I think I had some connection to the bank there. We have a bank in the bottom of our building where I am right now, and some employees downstairs. We're telling an employee of mine that they knew some of the folks that were at this bank.

So, it's a big city for Kentucky, but it really is a small town. And you can see already, as information filters throughout the community, just the connectivity that people have to the shooting. So, it's pretty shocking and pretty tragic.

And Louisville, by the way, is a city that has for the last several years, been one of the more violent cities in America. We have a very high homicide rate here anyway. And then you throw this shooting on top of it. And it's just a lot of heartbreak for the city will.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR (on camera): Yes. Governor Beshear said that his campaign for Attorney General was in that building at the Old National Bank. And said he knows two people who didn't make it out today. Another one was being treated in the hospital right now.

We talked about the mayor. You say the violence that has been in that city. The mayor -- shooting last year during his campaign.

Scott, just give us a sense -- and I know you said you're about a mile or two away right now, if you have a sense of the people you're talking to just how this is hitting there for you and for others this morning.

JENNINGS: Well, people are really just done because that part of downtown Louisville is a very common area for people to go. Go to the baseball game. It's just a couple of blocks from the Yum Center where the University of Louisville has some sporting events including basketball. There's big concerts there. It's our biggest venue -- one of our biggest venues. So, in that part of downtown Louisville, people go there all the time.

It's also very close to the waterfront on the Ohio River and sort of the waterfront park area. So, people are constantly down there with their families. And I think that's one thing about this particular bout of violence that we're having here is this is in an area where you can easily visualize yourself, going with your own family, with your own kids, you know.

This isn't happening, you know, in somewhere where you can't imagine yourself being you know in a private residence, for instance. This is in a public place where you could very easily have been taking a walk this morning. This is one of the most beautiful days of the year here so far. You could have been right there.

And I think as I've talked to people here in my own office, that's one of the things about this is people are just visualizing themselves being in this part of the town and wondering, well what if I had been walking by when this happened? So, it's very, very sad, people's hearts are broken and no one really has any -- anything other than just shock and heartbreak right now here in Louisville.

BOLDUAN: It is hard to put words to it, Scott. I mean, you and I -- you and I have often talked about -- you know about Louisville, about your -- about your life in Kentucky, in your -- in your love of everything -- of everything in Louisville and in the state. You know, the governor said during this press conference, not only about his connection to people who were killed and injured. He also said that I want people to know that -- know today that this is a safe community. Do you feel that way this morning?

JENNINGS: Well, I think there's a raging debate going on in Louisville right now about homicide rates, gun violence, the overall crime rate in this town. It was a big feature actually, in last year's race for mayor. We had a mayor for 12 years. He left office. The mayor's race was an open seat. And so, there was a huge debate about crime in Louisville, Kentucky. It was one of the top issues that are being debated.

And so, this is -- this has been discussed, you know, really for the last several years is what are we going to do about the violence in Louisville. Now, we haven't had mass shootings like this one. But we have had a lot of homicides here, a very high homicide rate. And as was noted by someone earlier, the Louisville Police Department has been in the eye of the storm regarding policing procedures here because of the Breonna Taylor case. and then the Department of Justice report that came out.

So, when you think about public affairs or political affairs in a city, Louisville, I would say as much as any other city in America has been having a community conversation and a community debate about violence. And so, do I feel like parts of the city are violent? Absolutely.

I mean, there -- this is a common conversation you would have with people living here. I don't think anybody feels like you're going to walk into a mass shooting you know like this one at any given time. But certainly, this idea of Louisville being a violent place has been on the minds of most of its citizens for the last couple of years -- several years.

SIDNER: Yes. And certainly, people you know, remember, Breonna Taylor and Louisville as well, so it has come up time and again. I do want to ask you, John Miller. You're getting some new information. And we understand about the shooter who we heard from the press conference, has -- was an intern just five years ago, and apparently did quite well in the company.

[11:45:09]

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT & INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: So, the -- we're starting to get a richer picture on the shooter's background. This is an individual who came through the business school at the University of Alabama, worked at the Old National Bank in three consecutive summers, 2018, 2019, and 2020, went into some study programs to qualify for full-time work, came on in 21 and has been there you know full-time since 22 as a -- as a syndicate associate and portfolio banker.

I'm not from the financial realm. But what you see is someone who's out of school -- actually someone who's in school and working at the bank summers three times and then the first place he goes to get a job.

So, you know, what emerges is a picture of someone who went to school for and probably plan for and whose whole life was focused on becoming a banker, and whose entire young professional life was at that bank. So, the -- we're on the precipice of the questions of what happened there.

Was he a current employee or a former employee or was he a current employee who was about to become a former employee? What brought him to the doors of that bank before it opened clearly targeting employees, people who work there, maybe supervisors, not customers because the bank wasn't open yet.

Is that -- his status as a former employee. How he made entry into the bank before it was open because people recognized him, or was he still technically on the books there? So, some answers are starting to emerge. A lot of questions still coming.

BERMAN: All right. We're going to let you dig on some of those questions, John. Stick around. And our thanks to Scott Jennings as well. And, Scott, we're glad that you and your family are OK. Just know that we're thinking about all the people in Louisville.

And we are following the breaking news. Four people are dead. The shooter also dead. At least eight now injured, two in critical condition. Two police officers are among the wounded. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. Stay with us.

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[11:51:57]

BERMAN: All right. The Breaking News this morning out of Louisville. Kentucky police say at least four people have been killed, eight others injured after a gunman opened fire at the Old National Bank in downtown Louisville. Police say officers arrived in just three minutes and engaged with the gunman as soon as they got there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL HUMPHREY, DEPUTY CHIEF, LOUISVILLE POLICE: Within three minutes of being dispatched, officers arrived on scene and encountered the suspect almost immediately still firing gunshots.

CRAIG GREENBERG, MAYOR OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: Without a doubt, their actions saved lives.

BESHEAR: That we certainly saw, I think the very best from them today. And I want to thank them.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: The gunman appears to have had connections with that bank, including working in some capacity there. The gunman, we should note, is dead, not clear whether he was shot or took his own life.

Let's bring in CNN law enforcement analyst Jonathan Wackrow. Jonathan, you've been watching this develop over the last several minutes. What questions do you see as needing to be answered at this moment?

JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, you know, as Commissioner Miller had just you know laid out, you know, we're starting to learn a lot more about the suspect and the connectivity that they had with the bank. Either as a current employee or a former employee. And really what this is laying out to is something that's very formulaic that we've seen time and time again, with these types of workplace violence incidents.

And, you know, what we do know is that targeted violence -- you know we can you know say that all indication that this is an act of targeted violence, typically is in response to some type of grievance. So, investigators right now are going to try to identify indicators that you know could have been, you know, keyed in on before this tragic event. From the suspect, you know, his engagement with the -- with the bank, you know, was there any type of problematic behavior.

We know that there is a history from an internship and in a full-time employee -- employment but was there any type of problematic behavior between a supervisor or co-workers that could have been an indicator of oral warning sign to -- you know, this type of engagement.

You know, those personality conflicts are really important that investigators are going to start keying in on and whether that's direct one-on-one or any type of harassment online between supervisors and co-workers. Did this individual have a history of bringing weapons into the workplace?

Again, you know, we know that that is the common denominator every single time in these -- in these mass shootings. You know, was this something that was a problem for this employee at the bank? Did the employee have a tendency to hold grudges against individuals, co- workers, supervisors, etcetera?

And again, we just don't know what exactly is happening here. You know, was this some sort of you know, mishandled termination? So -- but investigators, that's what they're looking for. They're looking -- they're going to really hone in on, you know, what was this type of grievance and was there any type of what investigators and law enforcement refer to as concerning communication in advance of this attack that you know we should have acted upon.

[11:55:05]

Again, a lot we don't know. But we do know because this follows the same pattern of, you know, sort of the formula for these types of attacks. It puts law enforcement and investigators on the right track to really understand what was the motive and answer why this tragic event happened. BOLDUAN: And they're starting to head down that road for that fuller investigation now. Jonathan, thank you. As always, we appreciate that.

So, they were going to continue to follow this. Four dead, the shooter dead as well, has a connection to this bank where this all this tragedy took place this morning, starting around 8:30 in the morning. We got much more ahead.

Thank you so much for joining us, though. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. The breaking news coverage on this Louisville shooting continues on "INSIDE POLITICS." That's up next.

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