What we know about the victims of the bank shooting in Louisville

By Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN

Bank employees, an “incredible friend,” a beloved parishioner, police officers and a “huge fan and supporter” of the community are among the five people killed and others hospitalized after a gunman opened fire inside a bank in downtown Louisville.

Monday’s attack was the 146th US mass shooting this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, and came exactly two weeks after three children and three adults were shot to death at a Christian school in neighboring Tennessee, fueling a fierce fight between Democratic and Republican state lawmakers over gun control.

In Louisville, a 26-year-old rookie officer ran toward the gunfire and was shot in the head, interim Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said. Nickolas Wilt, who had graduated from the police academy just 10 days before the shooting, underwent brain surgery and on Tuesday was in critical but stable condition, a hospital spokesperson said.

Nine patients, including three Louisville Metro Police officers, were treated at University of Louisville Hospital following the shooting, the spokesperson said. Five had gunshot wounds; one died Monday night.

Here’s what we know so far about those killed:

Joshua Barrick

Joshua Barrick, 40, was a “devoted husband, father, son, brother, and friend” who “would do anything for anyone and cherished his time with them,” his brother Jeff Barrick told CNN in a statement.

Joshua “had a wonderful sense of humor, was sentimental, and was passionate about life,” his brother said.

Joshua Barrick and his family were members of the Holy Trinity Parish Louisville, the church wrote on Facebook.

“Our hearts are heavy, they are broken, and we are searching for answers,” they wrote. “Please keep the entire Barrick family in your prayers, including his wife, Jessica, and their two sweet children, who are students in our school.”

“His involvement with Holy Trinity gave him a sense of purpose and community,” his brother said. “He will be missed by all that knew him.”

The church held a vigil Monday evening for Barrick.

Deana Eckert

Deana Eckert, 57, was hospitalized, then died later Monday, police announced.

She was a “very kind and a very thoughtful person,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

Thomas Elliott

Old National Bank Senior Vice President Thomas Elliott was a close mentor and beloved community leader, local and state leaders said.

“Tommy was a great man. He cared about finding good people and putting them in positions to do great things. He embraced me when I was very young and interested in politics,” state Sen. David Yates told CNN. “He was about lifting people up, building them up.”

Elliott, 63, was also close friends with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Greenberg, who said he spent Monday morning at the hospital with Elliott’s wife.

“It is painful, painful for all of the families I know,” Greenberg said. “It just hits home in a unique way when you know one of the victims so well.”

Beshear remembered Elliott as an “incredible friend” and called the others who were killed “amazing people” who will be missed and mourned by their communities.

“To the survivors and the families, our entire city is here to wrap our arms around you,” Greenberg added.

Old National Bank executive team members, including CEO Jim Ryan, were in Louisville on Monday after the shooting, the company said on Facebook.

“As we await more details, we are deploying employee assistance support and keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers,” Ryan said in a statement Monday morning.

Juliana Farmer

Juliana Farmer, 45, had just started a new chapter in her life, moving to Louisville from Henderson, Kentucky, her daughter Alia Chambers told CNN.

“This monster took away my mother, and I’m hurt because my mother moved here to help me, a single mom with four kids,” she said. “I only got two weeks with her here in Louisville … a city she knew nothing about. I’m heartbroken.”

Farmer was thrilled to begin her role with Old National Bank as a loan officer, Chambers said, after moving to Louisville two weeks ago from Henderson.

“My mom went from working at 19 years old at Kmart to sitting with executives at a bank,” she said. “I’m gonna fulfill my mama’s dream. Either I’m going back to nursing school or I’m gonna ask them, can I take over her position at that bank.”

Farmer had three adult children and four grandsons, Chambers said.

The day before she was killed — Easter Sunday — Farmer had found out her son, J’Yeon Chambers, was expecting a baby girl, he told CNN. The baby is due in September, the same month his mother was born.

“It’s just crazy how she gets taken the day after we reveal that we’re having the baby,” he said.

“My child is going to be her basically all over again,” Farmer’s son said. “She gave us the name that she always wanted a girl to be named, and we’re going to stick with it.”

James Tutt

James “Jim” Tutt, 64, was a “huge fan and supporter” of the downtown Louisville area and helped to promote it, Rebecca Fleischaker, the executive director of the Downtown Development Corporation, told CNN.

Tutt, a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, worked as the commercial real estate market executive at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville since 2015, according to his LinkedIn account.

He had served on the board of the non-profit Downtown Development Corporation since 2018, recently as its treasurer.

“Jim was very helpful to me as I started my role with Louisville Downtown Partnership last year and had an ‘open-door policy’ with taking any call or question,” Fleischaker said. “Jim will be deeply missed.”

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CNN’s Adrienne Broaddus, Caroll Alvarado, Celina Tebor, Elizabeth Wolfe and Laura Ly, John Miller and Holly Yan contributed to this report.