Two mass shootings occurred in the past two weeks causing widespread concern in the U.S. One took place in Louisville, Kentucky, and the other in Nashville, Tennessee.

At Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky, a mass shooting left  five dead and eight wounded. The gunman, Connor Sturgeon, 25, was an employee of the bank and worked there full time since 2021. Police received calls shortly after Sturgeon entered the bank at 8:30 a.m. 

The shooting was live streamed on Instagram, but was taken down approximately a minute after Sturgeon began shooting. Police arrived within minutes of receiving calls. A shootout occurred between Sturgeon and police which resulted in two officers injured and Sturgeon killed. Bodycam footage from police is said to have been released Tuesday afternoon.

A clear motive is unknown, but Sturgeon contacted a friend about his plans to attack the bank. Sturgeon said he planned to kill everyone in the bank and that he was “feeling suicidal.”

Two weeks prior, on March 27, a school shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee occurred. Six people were found dead at the scene with no other reported injuries. The shooter was identified as Audrey Hale.

At 10:13 a.m, Nashville police received calls from people in The Covenant School reporting an active shooter in the building. Three students, all of which were 9 years old, and three adults were killed  while the remaining students and staff were led to safety. Hale was killed by police at 10:27 a.m.

Police identified 28 year old Audrey Hale as the gunman. It was later revealed that Hale was transgender and used “he/him” pronouns online. This information created many discussions about transgender issues and potential motives for Hale’s actions. Concerns about rights and laws for transgender people have heightened due to the shooting.

Police have yet to release a direct motive, but a “manifesto” was reported in Hale’s car at the scene. Many people are upset that the manifesto has not been released to the public, but police and FBI are still analyzing the evidence. However, it was revealed that Hale had been planning to attack The Covenant School for many months and was taking inspiration from other mass shootings. 

People online have made AI interpretations of the manifesto claiming Hale’s motives were due to the fact they were transgender. This further sparked discussions online and among communities.

The incident sparked protests through Tennessee in response to the state’s gun laws. Protesters shouted chants demanding gun control at the capitol of Tennessee. Students held walkouts to protest the gun laws. Three Democratic lawmakers in Tennessee joined these protests as well.

Lawmakers and political figures in Louisville discussed gun laws Tuesday morning stating that it isn’t about politics, rather about “life and death.” President Joe Biden issued a statement “urging action on gun legislation.