WASHINGTON: At least five people have been killed and six others hospitalized following a downtown shooting Monday in the US city of Louisville, Kentucky, the Louisville Metro Police Department said.
A Louisville police spokesman said that a police officer was among the wounded people, while the department tweeted separately that the “suspected shooter has been neutralized.”
“There is no active danger to the public at this time,” the police spokesman said.
We are confirming reports of an active aggressor in the 300 block of East Main. Please stay out of the area. There are multiple casualties.
— LMPD (@LMPD) April 10, 2023
The department tweeted that there was an “active aggressor” in the center of the city, the largest in the southern state. However, the police have not provided any further details regarding the number of deaths or injuries.
Louisville governor tweeted the incident
Governor Andy Beshear also tweeted that he is on his way to the scene and asked people to pray for the families impacted by the incident and for the city of Louisville.
LMPD has confirmed a shooting situation in downtown Louisville with multiple casualties. I am headed there now. Please pray for all of the families impacted and for the city of Louisville. ^AB
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) April 10, 2023
The shooting occurred close to the Louisville Slugger Field baseball stadium, a few blocks away from the Kentucky International Convention Centre and Muhammad Ali Centre.
Videos from the scene show heavily armed police officers cordoning off a commercial property in the area. There is a heavy police presence in the downtown area, and some news footage shows damaged glass and medical equipment on the ground.
Witnesses who left the building told WHAS-TV that they heard gunfire inside the building. Ambulances were seen taking people from the scene, according to WHAS reporters.
The FBI said that its agents are also responding to the shooting, but no further details were provided. The police have urged the public to stay clear of the area as they investigate the incident. A news conference is expected to be held shortly.
The incident has shocked the residents of Louisville, and they have expressed their condolences to the families affected by the shooting. The city has witnessed several incidents of gun violence in recent years, prompting calls for stricter gun control laws.
The shooting incident in downtown Louisville is still under investigation, and the authorities are yet to provide further information about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
