Condemning the horrific shootings that occurred in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 10, 2023, in the Old National Bank building, and on April 15, 2023, in Chickasaw Park, honoring the memory of the victims of the attacks, expressing condolences and support to all those impacted by these tragedies, and reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to support all victims of gun violence.

Whereas, in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 10, 2023, in the Old National Bank building, workers and patrons of the establishment were present on the morning of the shooting; Whereas, at 8:35 a.m. (Eastern Time Zone), a lone gunman opened fire in the bank, ruthlessly murdering five people, injuring eight, and shattering any semblance of safety felt by community members; Whereas the shooter used an AR–15-style rifle to carry out this mass shooting; Whereas the shooter was an employee in the Old National Bank building and live streamed the horrific mass shooting on Instagram; Whereas first responders from Louisville Metro Police Department and Louisville Fire and EMS were on the scene of the crime within three minutes, saving dozens of lives; Whereas police officers were able to neutralize the shooter at around 8:45 a.m. (Eastern Time Zone); Whereas two officers who exchanged gunfire with the shooter were injured, and another, Officer Nickolas Wilt, 26, was listed in critical condition after being shot in the head and underwent brain surgery; Whereas the people of the United States mourn the five innocent lives lost, as well as the eight victims who were injured; Whereas the victims who tragically died were Tommy Elliott, 63, Jim Tutt, 64, Josh Barrick, 40, Juliana Farmer, 45, and Deana Eckert, 57; Whereas, in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 15, 2023, in Chickasaw Park, hundreds of people were present when someone shot into the crowd at approximately 9 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone); Whereas two victims were pronounced dead, and four other victims were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital; Whereas the victims who tragically died were Deaji Goodman, 28, and David Huff, 17; Whereas the Louisville Metro Police Department is working to identify the shooter, as well as determine if the shooter acted alone; Whereas the residents of Louisville, Kentuckians across the Commonwealth, and people across the Nation are grateful for the brave and swift response of the first responders to the shootings, as well as for the medical staff who attended to the injuries of the victims at the University of Louisville Hospital; Whereas the Old National Bank shooting was the 146th mass shooting this year, and the Chickasaw Park shooting was the 161st mass shooting this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive; Whereas the shooting at Chickasaw Park was the second mass shooting in Louisville over the span of a week; Whereas more than 800 people on average die from gun violence in Kentucky each year; Whereas Kentucky does not require background checks for gun sales by unlicensed sellers, has not enacted an extreme risk protection order law, places no restrictions on the sale of military-style assault rifles and large-capacity magazines, does not require a waiting period, and generally preempts local cities and counties from enacting their own gun safety ordinances; Whereas Kentucky law generally allows people to carry loaded handguns in public spaces without a permit, without any background check, and without training since 2019; Whereas States with weaker laws regulating the carrying of firearms in public places are more likely to experience workplace shootings, and a 2019 study in the American Journal of Public Health found that States with weak or no regulations on concealed carry had 29 percent higher rates of workplace homicides committed with firearms; Whereas, according to the nonprofit organization, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, from 2017 to 2021, at least 1,756 workers were murdered with guns on the job; Whereas gun violence is a daily epidemic that plagues communities across our Nation; and Whereas the people of the United States will always remember the victims of these shootings, stand in solidarity with those affected by these unconscionable tragedies, and fight to prevent all gun violence across the country: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the horrific acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of 5 lives in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Old National Bank building on April 10, 2023; (2) condemns the horrific acts of gun violence that led to the tragic loss of 2 lives in Louisville, Kentucky, at Chickasaw Park on April 15, 2023; (3) honors the memory and legacy of the innocent victims and offers heartfelt condolences and support to their families; (4) commends the heroism of the brave individuals who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others during the heinous attacks; (5) recognizes that recovery will be difficult for the Louisville community, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and all communities impacted by these tragedies, and expresses hope that those injured by the attacks, both physically and emotionally, will heal; (6) honors the courage and selflessness of community members, law enforcement, first responders, medical professionals, and all other individuals who responded to the attacks; and (7) reaffirms the commitment of the Federal Government to fight the gun violence epidemic and to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.

Summary: This resolution condemns the acts of gun violence that led to the loss of life in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Old National Bank building on April 10, 2023, and at Chickasaw Park on April 15, 2023.