Louisville shooting: What we know about the victims

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Five people died and eight others were injured Monday after a man opened fire on his coworkers at One National Bank in downtown Louisville. Police responding to reports of the shooting returned fire, killing the shooter.

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Authorities identified the victims as James “Jim” Tutt, 64; Thomas “Tommy” Elliott, 63; Deana Eckert, 57; Juliana Farmer, 45 and Joshua “Josh” Barrick, 40.

Here’s what we know about them:

Jim Tutt, 64

Tutt, a native of Frankfort, began working as as a market executive for Old National Bank in 2015, according to his profile on LinkedIn. He had decades of banking experience.

La Grange Mayor John Black said in a social media post that Tutt previously lived in the city and served for several years as president of the Oldham-La Grange Development Authority. He had recently stepped down, Black said.

“His abilities in banking experience and skills of negotiation were unmatched,” the mayor said. He added, “Jim was an awesome guy, father, husband, volunteer and a person who gave his spare time to LaGrange & Oldham County.”

The development authority’s general counsel, Louisville attorney Jeff Adamson, described Tutt to the Courier Journal as a problem solver who cared deeply for the people he worked with.

“Jim was one of the kindest, most authentic, and smartest people I have ever been around in my career,” he said. “He was the kind of person who processed new information remarkably quickly whether it be a spreadsheet full of numbers or a complex written agreement. He would mark up legal documents with the same analytical skill and creativity as the most talented contract lawyers in our community.”

Tutt is survived by his wife, Karen, their children and their grandchildren, WLKY reported.

Tommy Elliott, 63

Elliott worked as a senior vice president at Old National Bank, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was also a longtime Democratic Party fundraiser who had close ties to “more than a generation of Louisville and Kentucky Democratic Leaders,” the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear called Elliott one of his closest friends.

“Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career, helped me become governor, gave me advice on being a good dad,” he said. “He’s one of the people I talk to most in the world and very rarely were we talking about my job. He was an incredible friend.”

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also called Elliott one of his good friends. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., also said they were friends of Elliott’s.

Dr. Muhammad Babar, who met Elliott two decades earlier, told WAVE-TV that Elliott saw the best in everyone.

“He was a people person and made everyone feel important,” he said. “He was everywhere to help people.”

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two stepdaughters, The Associated Press reported.

Deana Eckert, 57

Police said Eckert died Monday night after being hospitalized with injuries from the shooting. She worked as an executive administrative officer at Old National Bank, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In 2019, Eckert won the Old National Bank’s One Vision Annual Award after colleagues nominated her as someone “who exceed expectations and exemplified the bank’s values,” according to USA Today. The newspaper reported that bank chairman and CEO James Ryan said she was “known for always going the extra mile” in a presentation given to the board.

“She serves selfless labor time to ensure the success of our branch, and she mentors different associates,” he said.

Eckert’s cousin, Michelle Davis, told WHAS-TV that she was a loving mother, wife and sibling who “never had anything bad to say about anybody.”

“She was the one to straighten us up and make us mind and do right,” Davis said. “She always, always had something positive to say. She always found the good, no matter how ugly or dark or black a circumstance was.”

Juliana Farmer, 45

Farmer’s aunt, Vicki Brooks-Scott, told WFIE that she was only in her third week working for Old National Bank when she was killed. The Henderson native had just recently moved to Louisville.

“She loved life,” Brooks-Scott said. “She was a beautiful young lady. All I can say is that heaven has gained a beautiful angel.”

Farmer’s children remembered their mother as “sweet” and “loving” in a verified GoFundMe campaign started by her daughter, Alia Chambers. On the page for the campaign, Chambers thanked the public for its support “as we go through this storm.”

Farmer worked as a loan officer at Old National Bank, according to the Herald-Leader. She is survived by three children and four grandchildren, with a fifth on the way, WFIE reported.

Joshua Barrick, 40

Barrick was a senior vice president in Old National Bank’s commercial real estate group. He was a parishioner at Holy Trinity Church, where Father Shayne Duvall described him as a “lovely, lovely man,” WHAS reported.

“Our hearts are heavy, they are broken, and we are searching for answers,” he said. He added that Barrick “was just involved. I mean, he would come to mass, be involved in prayer groups. He had a lot of friends.”

In a verified GoFundMe campaign, family friends remembered Barrick as a family man who put others above himself.

“To know Josh is to love Josh, and this loss is felt in the hearts of so many,” Alison Conway wrote on GoFundMe. “Josh loved his family and friends above all else, and the outpouring of support that everyone has shown his family is truly amazing during this incredibly traumatic time.”

Barrick is survived by his wife and their two children.