"Perhaps this is the impact for change — upper class white people dying."
Katie DaviscourtSeattle WA
Nov 22, 2023
The manifesto of Louisville bank shooter Connor Sturgeon, 25, has been released by authorities. It reveals that he planned to kill "rich white people" to teach them a lesson about lax gun policies.
Law enforcement uncovered a series of journal entries written by Sturgeon dating up to a week before the April 10 massacre at Old National Bank. Sturgeon, who previously worked at the bank, gunned down and killed four of his former colleagues, and one police officer, and injured nine others before being killed during a police shootout.
The first journal entry is dated April 3 which discusses Sturgeon, who had a history of suicidal ideation and mental health issues, viewing his life as meaningless and the need to make an impact or affect change. He lists off issues that had been impacting him such as inflation, climate disaster, gun access, lack of mental health care, and politicians with no interest in helping people, according to police documents.
The next journal entry is dated April 4, the day Sturgeon purchased the firearm used to carry out the attack. This journal entry was centered around his plan to kill "rich white people" in order to teach them a lesson about the need for stricter gun laws.
"I have decided to make an impact," Sturgeon writes. "These people did not deserve to die, but because I was depressed and able to buy [guns], they are gone. Perhaps this is the impact for change — upper class white people dying."
"I certainly would not have been able to do this were it more difficult to get a gun," Sturgeon continued. "I know our politicians are solely focused on lining their own pockets, but maybe this will knock some sense into them,” he added. “If not, good luck."
The journal entries between April 5 and April 6 consisted of Sturgeon writing letters to friends and family members about his last Will and Testament, specifically how to divide his estate.
On April 9, one day before the attack, Sturgeon released his detailed plan of attack, according to police documents. In his journal entry, Sturgeon begins the entry by writing, "Something snapped Monday. This is not an accident. I'm sorry I had to lie all week, but this [is] something I have to do. It has all been planned out, and it is flawed, but I think it will work."
"I know I won't be around to see it, and know that makes me a coward. But I pray this can send a message to those with power that they are not invincible," he said.
He continued by writing phrases such as "I am just tired of fighting," "I don't think I am a terrorist or a monster," "I may be a psycho," "If we want change it will take enormous action," "I am definitely very sick," among others.
He then gets into his attack plan titled, "Last thing of the night."
"OH MY GOD THIS IS SO EASY," he writes. "Seriously, I knew it would be doable, but this is ridiculous. Walked in and bought a gun, 4 mags and 120 rounds for $700. Got some glasses and earplugs."
"It is legitimately unfathomable how easy this all was," he said. "I always knew I was A) cunning, B) mean as absolute sh-t, and C) a WAY better liar than anyone gave me credit for...but good heavens, I just lied to everyone so easily and [no one] caught on."
"This is intentional. There is nothing anyone could have done," he said, adding that "sickness wins."
Sturgeon then took aim at the National Rifle Association (NRA) and wrote: "But let us not forget the most important player here. The one who made all this possible. Let’s give it up for the NRA!!"
"I couldn't have done this without all of your lobbying dollars! You really brought this whole thing together. This is the world you are building," Sturgeon claimed. "One without any regard for the value of human life."
This was Sturgeon's final journal entry before he carried out the massacre the next morning.
In addition to the journal entries, law enforcement uncovered a series of cryptic posts published on his Instagram stories the morning of the mass shooting.
One post features a meme that said, "I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it."
Sturgeon followed up that post with another meme that said, "I could burn this whole place down." He wrote the words, "Monday Vibes" on top of the meme.
According to the police report, the last photo Sturgeon had taken on his cellphone was a selfie of him doing the "Joker face."
On April 10, 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon walked into the Old National Bank on East Main Street, near the Louisville Slugger Field and Waterfront Park, and killed five people. He filmed the massacre on Instagram livestream and reportedly had texted a friend prior to the shooting saying that "he was feeling suicidal and would shoot up the bank."
Sturgeon had a middle-class upbringing in Floyd's Knob, Indiana, where he was a star basketball player at Floyd Central High School. He attended the University of Alabama and studied at its Manderson Graduate School of Business.
Source (Archive)
