Family of Louisville bank shooter wants his AR-15 rifle destroyed legally

Louisville, Ky.: The family of the shooter who opened fire at a bank in Louisville is attempting to legally destroy the AR-15 rifle that was used to murder five of his coworkers.

As required by state law, Kentucky auctions off weapons seized by law enforcement and uses the money raised to purchase equipment for the police. Following the incident last week, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg predicted that “under Kentucky’s current law, a murder weapon will one day be back on the streets.”

Greenberg has been sceptical of the law and has explored workarounds that would make crime weapons worthless once they are seized by his police department in Louisville. Greenberg was shot at by an attacker during his mayoral campaign last year.

The family of 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon, who lives in Indiana, said they were shocked to hear the gun he used in the April 10 attack could go back in circulation. Sturgeon was fatally shot by a responding police officer in the bank’s lobby.

“The Sturgeon family was aghast to learn Kentucky law mandated the assault rifle used in the horrific event last week be sold to the highest bidder at public auction,” according to a written statement released by a family spokesman Thursday.

The statement said the family is working “vigorously” to see that the rifle is destroyed. They said the first step in that process occurred Monday when federal agents took possession of the rifle.

“This tragedy is yet another indication that meaningful, common sense gun safety measures must be enacted,” the statement said. “We respectfully urge the Kentucky state legislature to lead the way by changing Kentucky law to remove the gun auction provision.”

The confiscated guns are bought at auctions by federally licensed gun dealers. An auction held last year totalled nearly $174,000, according to Kentucky State Police.

One of the victims of the shooting, 63-year-old Tommy Elliott, was a friend of Greenberg’s and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Eight other people were injured in the shooting at Old National Bank in the city’s downtown, including a rookie police officer who was shot in the head. Officer Nick Wilt remained in critical condition this week, and he was battling pneumonia. Seven others who were hospitalized have been released.

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