5 killed, 8 hurt in shooting at downtown Louisville bank

GOVERNOR. TODAY IS A TRAGIC DAY IN LOUISVILLE AND FOR THE ENTIRE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY. ACTS OF VIOLENCE LIKE THIS HURT. THEY TEAR AT THE FABRIC OF WHO WE ARE, AT OUR SOCIETY, AT OUR STATE, OR AT OUR COUNTRY. AND THE CITY. TODAY, I’M HURT AND I’M HURTING. AND I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE AS WELL. WE LOST FOUR CHILDREN OF GOD TODAY, ONE OF WHOM WAS ONE OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS. TOMMY ELLIOTT HELPED ME BUILD MY LAW CAREER, HELPED ME BECOME GOVERNOR, GAVE ME ADVICE ON BEING A GOOD DAD. IT’S ONE OF THE PEOPLE I TALK TO MOST IN THE WORLD AND VERY RARELY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT MY JOB. HE WAS AN INCREDIBLE FRIEND. WE ALSO LOST JULIANA FARMER, JIM TUTT, JOSH BURKE. EACH AMAZING YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE FAMILIES GRIEVE THEM, WHOSE COMMUNITY WILL MOURN AND WILL MISS THEM. THESE ARE EERIE, REPLACEABLE, AMAZING INDIVIDUALS THAT A TERRIBLE ACT OF VIOLENCE TORE FROM ALL OF US. WE ALSO PRAY FOR OUR LMPD OFFICER AND TWO OTHERS. THAT RIGHT NOW, WHILE PERHAPS STABLE, ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES WITH A NEED FOR OUR CARE. AND YES, FOR OUR PRAYERS. BECAUSE I BELIEVE I BELIEVE AND I BELIEVE THAT PRAYERS LIFT ALL OF US UP. AND THOSE FAMILIES WOULD APPRECIATE THEM. AND WHILE I HURT TODAY AND WHILE I WILL GRIEVE WHEN I’M ABLE, I’M ALSO GRATEFUL. I’M GRATEFUL FOR AND INCREDIBLY QUICK RESPONSE FROM LAPD, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, LOUISVILLE FIRE AND RESCUE, LOUISVILLE METRO, EMS GETTING TO THIS SCENE IN 3 MINUTES. I’M CONVINCED SAVED OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES. AND I KNOW SAVED TWO OTHER OF MY FRIENDS. ONE, I RECEIVED INCORRECT INFORMATION THIS MORNING I THOUGHT WAS GONE. AND I STARTED TO MOURN. AND NOW I KNOW HE’S OKAY. AND WHEN I GOT TO SEE IN THE E.R. THAT WHILE IT’S GOING TO TAKE HIM A WHILE TO HEAL, IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE MY FRIEND SEE HIM THERE WITH HIS WIFE AND KNOW HE IS STILL WITH US. I WANT TO THANK KSP, ATF, FBI, EVERY SINGLE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT IS GOING TO BRING THEIR ENTIRE WEIGHT AND THEIR ENTIRE RESOURCES TO BEAR SO THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MORE FIRST RESPONDERS THAN THE ONES WE’VE LISTED BECAUSE THE TEAM AT U OF L HOSPITAL, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO THE FIRST BATTLE WILL STOPPING THAT GUNMAN. THE SECOND IS DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN WOUNDED ALIVE. AND I WANT TO SAY TO THIS GOOD DOCTOR BEHIND ME AND WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER THROUGH PANDEMICS AND NOW THIS, BUT I’M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT HIS TEAM IS DOING. I WAS IN A ROOM WHERE ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE RIGHTFULLY WORRIED GOT AN UPDATE, AND IT WAS ONE THAT WAS SPECIFIC, BUT ALSO PROVIDE IT WITH COMPASSION. HE’S DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE FIGHTING FOR THE LIVES OF OUR FRIENDS, OF OUR FAMILY, AND WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO THEM. I THINK WHAT WE NEED MOST RIGHT NOW, IN A WORD, IS LOVE. I MEAN, JUST LOVE, LOVE FOR THESE FAMILIES. THEY ARE GOING TO NEED IT. I CAN TELL YOU I’VE TALKED TO THEM. I’M VERY CLOSE WITH ONE OF THEM. THEY ARE GOING TO NEED THAT LOVE AND WE NEED LOVE FOR EACH OTHER. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARGUE SO MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY, SO MUCH ANGER. I STILL BELIEVE THAT LOVE AND COMPASSION AND HUMANITY CAN LEAD US TO A BETTER PLACE. NOW, THIS IS HARD. IT’S REALLY HARD. THE DAY AFTER EASTER. NOW EASTER IS ABOUT A REBIRTH, A BETTER WORLD, ONE WHERE WE’RE ALL SUPPOSED TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THERE, ONE THAT’S SUPPOSED TO TEACH US LOVE FROM A SAVIOR THAT CAME. WE’LL FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM NOT BECAUSE OF HIS POWER, BUT FOR HIS COMPASSION AND I BELIEVE WHAT WE CAN DO, WHETHER IT’S ANY FAITH OR JUST YOUR VALUES, IS ENSURE THAT TODAY, MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS ABOUT THESE FAMILIES. IT’S ABOUT THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE AFRAID THEY’RE GOING TO LOSE THEIR LOVED ONE, ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE WORST AND WHILE MAY HAVE SURVIVED, ARE GOING TO BEAR THE SCARS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. TODAY, IT’S GOT TO BE ABOUT THEM AND THE HEROIC ACTIONS OF EVERYBODY WHO RESPONDED. AND YES, I KNOW IN THE DAYS TO COME, WE’LL TALK ABOUT ISSUES. BUT I THINK THE THING THAT PEOPLE GET WRONG AFTER THE MOST DIFFICULT OF TIMES AND DAYS AND AS GOVERNOR, I’VE HAD TO SEE A LOT OF THEM, IS THAT TODAY OUGHT TO BE FOCUSED. ON MY FRIEND AND ON EVERYBODY ELSE’S FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES THAT ARE NO LONGER WITH US. MY FAITH TEACHES ME THAT WHILE THE BODY IS MORTAL, THE SOUL IS ETERNAL. AND SO I KNOW THAT I WILL SEE TOMMY AGAIN AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND THIS COMMUNITY, WE WILL BE REUNITED IN A BETTER PLACE WITHOUT VIOLENCE, WITHOUT THE SENSELESSNESS AND HURT THAT WE FEEL TODAY. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS. WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. IT’S THE ONLY WAY WILL MARCH FORWARD. AND MY HOPE IS THAT IN HONOR OF THOSE THAT HAVE FALLEN TODAY, OR THAT MAY STILL FALL, WE CAN BE BETTER AND WE CAN DO BETTER WHEN CARE ABOUT LOVE EACH OTHER JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TODAY TO HONOR THOSE THAT HAVE FALLEN. AND AS SO MANY FAMILIES GRIEVE, I’M ORDERING OUR FLAGS STATEWIDE FLY AT HALF STAFF UNTIL FRIDAY, FRIDAY EVENING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING TRIBUTE IN EVERY SINGLE PART OF THIS COMMONWEALTH TO THOSE THAT WE HAVE LOST. WE ARE ONE COMMONWEALTH UNITE IT WITH A CITY UNITED WITH THESE FAMILIES. WHAT WE’VE HAD TO DO A LOT IN THESE LAST THREE YEARS IS WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER. AND WE NEED TO DO IT HERE. THANK YOU. AND NEXT, WE’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM DR. SMITH, WHO IS LEADING AN INCREDIBLE TEAM TO TRY TO MAKE SURE AS MANY OF THOSE THAT WERE HARMED IN THIS INCIDENT GET THROUGH IT. AND LET ME JUST AGAIN SAY THAT HE AND HIS HOSPITAL HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT AND CONFIDENCE. I’VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND. WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING. AND LISTEN, I KNOW THEY’RE GOING TO DO THEIR BEST. AND WHILE WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT OUTCOME CAN BE, WE OUGH