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On Monday, April 10, suspected gunman Connor Sturgeon allegedly murdered five people and injured several others at Louisville's Old National Bank, before he was subsequently killed by police officers. Police bodycam footage of Sturgeon's shooting, which has since gone viral, has led to netizens hailing the responding officers as heroes.
Trigger warning: The footage below depicts a shooting. Reader discretion is advised.
In the footage of the incident, Louisville police officers Nickolas Wilt and Cory "CJ" Galloway can be seen driving up to the bank, before they prepare to confront the suspect. As they entered the bank and engaged in a firefight with Connor Sturgeon, Nickolas Wilt was shot in the head. At this point, the footage cut off.
Nickolas Wilt, a 26-year-old rookie officer in the Louisville Police Department, is currently in critical condition. Fellow officers reportedly gunned down Sturgeon shortly after Wilt was shot.
Netizens and officials praise the response of Louisville officers
In the wake of the Louisville Old National Bank shooting, several netizens described Nickolas Wilt as a hero for the way he bravely ran towards the suspect. Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, the interim police chief of Louisville, noted that the injured officer showed no signs of hesitation as he came under direct fire.
Gwinn-Villaroel also commended the contribution of Cory Galloway, who was Nickolas Wilt's training officer. She said that if the two officers had not quickly engaged with the shooter, there could have potentially been several more victims.
She said:
"(They had) taken it upon themselves to not wait to assess everything but just went in to assess the threat so that more lives would not be lost."
She said that their approach was exemplary of the values she wanted to instill in all Louisville police officers.
She said:
"I asked my officers when I addressed them today: 'If we don't do it, who will?' Evil cannot prevail and try to take over our city."
Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said that despite having only four shifts with the police, Nickolas Wilt behaved like a far more experienced officer during the attack.
Humphrey said:
“Officer Wilt was a brand new officer, he had no experience. He was going based on two things: his training and his character. And you will see that he never hesitates – even after getting shot at."
Netizens were quick to offer prayers to Nickolas Wilt, who was transported to the hospital in critical condition. While many Twitter users mistakenly said that he was dead, the latest reports indicate that he is currently severely injured, but in stable condition.
According to CNN, Connor Sturgeon legally purchased an AR-15 rifle just six days prior to the shooting. Prior to the attack, the suspect was reportedly at risk of losing his job. However, fellow employees noted that there were no indications that he had anger issues. The mass shooting at the bank marked his first and last encounter with authorities.
The Old National Bank shooting remains under police investigation.
