Investigation into Old National Bank mass shooting officially closed; full documents released

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The Louisville Metro Police Department has released the investigative file into the Old National Bank mass shooting in downtown Louisville, WAVE News Troubleshooters have learned.

In the announcement made Tuesday, LMPD Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel and Mayor Craig Greenberg said the investigation into the Old National Bank mass shooting is officially closed.

“While we understand the incident has been of great public interest, our priority has been assisting the families, Old National Bank employees, officers, and community members affected by the horrific events of that day,” Gwinn-Villaroel said. “As LMPD officers, we take an oath to provide the public with protection and service. Service does not cease simply because the event has passed. We remain committed to connecting citizens with any resources or services they need. Additionally, we will continue to honor the victims, their families, and the officers directly affected by the tragedy.”

The file includes details about the shooting as well as numerous notes written by the shooter.

On April 10, 2023, a man employed by the bank walked into a boardroom meeting and opened fire with an assault rifle, claiming the lives of five people and injuring several others.

The five people killed in the shooting were identified as 63-year-old Tommy Elliott, 64-year-old Jim Tutt, 40-year-old Josh Barrick, 45-year-old Juliana Farmer and 57-year-old Deana Eckert. Officials confirmed all of them were also employees at Old National Bank.

Three of the victims injured in the shooting were LMPD officers, including Nickolas Wilt, who was listed in critical condition after being shot in the head while responding. He survived but suffered debilitating effects.

The shooter waited for police to arrive while hiding behind a column inside the downtown office building. Body camera footage showed police got to the scene, the shooter began firing at them.

Officer Wilt and Officer Corey “CJ” Galloway were the first officers on the scene. Wilt had recently graduated from the police academy on March 31.

Several other officers used their cars as shields and their own bodies as distractions for the shooter. The gunfire ended once Galloway got a shot at the suspect who then died at the scene.

“LMPD’s Public Integrity Unit received a findings letter from the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office indicating that the actions of Officer Galloway engaging with and shooting the suspect were not criminal in nature and were justifiable as set forth within the Kentucky Revised Statutes,” LMPD’s announcement read.

Multiple 911 calls for help flooded in, unsure of the shooter’s whereabouts inside the building.

One of the phone calls was from the mother of the shooter. She called concerned her son was heading to the bank and could possibly hurt someone. The call taker is heard telling her to not drive to the bank because of the active scene.

The shooter’s mother later told investigators her son’s roommate had called her, claiming her son had said he was headed to the bank with a firearm.

In the investigative file, there are journal entries, social media posts and other handwritten notes that give insight into his motivation. The shooter talks about the issues that bothered him, such as easy access to guns and mental health issues.

The day of the shooting, he made a series of Instagram posts talking about using the shooting as a way to get political attention on gun control.

The files indicate LMPD Detectives spoke with the shooter’s parents and brother. They told investigators the shooter seemed normal the day before when their family had spent the Easter holiday together.

His seemingly normal demeanor was something the first shooting victim, Dallas Schwartz previously talked about with WAVE News Troubleshooters.

“We spoke, he had safety glasses on and a gun in his hand,” Schwartz said. “It still did not register anything to me. I mean, this was somebody I thought I knew.”

The shooter wrote in his notes that he did not have any personal issues with his coworkers, but rather using the murders as a platform.

Swartz isn’t sure if her previous friendliness with the shooter saved her life. She was shot once in the leg.

“It was scary, but even the silent parts were even scarier,” she recalled.

The file also includes details about the shooting itself.

Investigators indicated he’d purchased the gun, a “Radical Firearms” or RF-15 six days before the shooting, from River City Firearms.

The shooter had spent a total of $762.90 on the gun and the ammo, and later wrote how easy it was to make the purchase. It was a weapon detectives said he didn’t know how to use.

Detectives also wrote they did not find an extensive search history for guns or violence on his mobile devices.

The toxicology reports only found anxiety medication in his system.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Old National Bank