Sturgeon, 23, who played high school football and basketball and had a history of concussions, was photographed in local media in Indiana wearing a helmet during non-contact sports like basketball in high school.
He killed five people in Monday’s mass shooting at Old National Bank. Eight people, including two Louisville police officers, were also injured, including Officer Nickolas Wilt, who was critically wounded.
Sturgeon’s father, Todd Sturgeon, told WLKY the family was going to have tests performed on Connor’s brain to determine whether he suffered from CTE.
Pete Palmer, a spokesman for the Sturgeon family, said Connor’s concussions “took him out of action for days and weeks and months,” according to the Daily Beast.
“There are questions from the family whether CTE or something neurological might have contributed,” he continued. “They don’t know. It’s being examined by medical professionals, as well. And that’s all the information they really have right now.”
On Wednesday, the family said Connor Sturgeon dealt with “mental health challenges,” but said there were never warning signs that he would commit a mass shooting.
“While Connor, like many of his contemporaries, had mental health challenges which we, as a family, were actively addressing, there were never any warning signs or indications he was capable of this shocking act,” the family said in a statement to WDRB and multiple Louisville media outlets.
“While we have many unanswered questions, we will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials and do all we can to aid everyone in understanding why and how this happened.”
The family’s statement offered condolences for the victims and praised the efforts of LMPD officers who confronted Sturgeon, according to reports.
“No words can express our sorrow, anguish, and horror at the unthinkable harm our son Connor inflicted on innocent people, their families, and the entire Louisville community,” read the statement. “We mourn their loss and that of our son, Connor.
“We pray for everyone traumatized by his senseless acts of violence and are deeply grateful for the bravery and heroism of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department.”
The gunman entered the bank around 8:30 a.m. Eastern time Monday and opened fire, killing five people and injuring eight others, including Wilt. He was armed with an AR-15 that he legally purchased six days prior at “one of the local dealerships here in Louisville,” Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel said previously.
LMPD released body camera footage from the shooting Tuesday afternoon, saying the suspect was waiting near the bank entrance to ambush officers.
Source: AL
