Louisville mass shooting suspect's brain will be tested for CTE - family

A family spokesman said the brain of Louisville, Kentucky mass shooting suspect Connor Sturgeon will be tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as CTE, ABC News reported.

The results of the testing will take several weeks, said a family spokesman, Pete Palmer.

Sturgeon, a 25-year-old former bank employee, allegedly killed five people and injured eight others Monday at Old National Bank. He was armed with an AR-15 automatic rifle and was killed by police officers at the scene.

CHTE is a degenerative brain disease found in people who have had repeated traumatic brain injuries, often related to professional sports and military service.

The former NFL player Philip Adams, who police named as the 2021 killer of six people in Rock Hill, South Carolina, had CTE at the time of the mass murder, according to a report from Boston University's CTE Center. The diagnosis of CTE can only be made after autopsy. Adams, who played soccer for 21 years, took his own life after being shot in the head.

According to the Louisville Courier Journal newspaper, Sturgeon suffered several concussions playing sports as a child.

The suspect's mother called 911 the morning before the shooting and told the dispatcher: "He's never hurt anybody, he's a really good kid.

The suspect's family said Tuesday, "While Connor, like many of his peers, had mental health issues that we as a family were actively working on, there was never any indication or indication that he was capable of this shocking act. While we still have many unsolved questions, we will fully cooperate with law enforcement and do everything we can to help everyone understand why and how this happened. "

"There are no words to express our sorrow, anguish and horror at the inhumane harm our son Connor has caused to innocent people, their families and the entire Louisville community," the family added.

Alondra Valle and Victoria Arancho of ABC News contributed to this report.