President Joe Biden has issued a statement expressing his grief and outrage over the shooting at a bank in Louisville, Kentucky, that killed five people and wounded eight others on Monday morning. The shooter, who was identified as a bank employee, live-streamed the attack on Instagram before being shot dead by police.


Biden said he was heartbroken by the loss of life and praised the courage of the first responders who confronted the gunman. He also said he spoke with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and offered them his full support.


Biden called for urgent action to address the epidemic of gun violence in the country and urged Congress to pass common-sense reforms that would save lives. He said he would not rest until every American feels safe from this threat.


Among the victims of the shooting were four bank employees, including Thomas Elliott, a senior vice president and a close friend of Beshear. The governor said Elliott was an “irreplaceable, amazing individual” who helped him build his law career and become governor.


The shooting was the 15th mass killing in the U.S. this year in which four or more victims were killed, according to a database compiled by USA TODAY, Associated Press, and Northeastern University. It was also the fourth public shooting, following attacks at a grocery store in Colorado, a spa in Georgia, and an office building in California.