James Tutt: Louisville mass shooting victim, 64, was 'very high quality, well-thought-of individual'
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: According to authorities, a shooting that occurred on Monday, April 10 at an Old National Bank location in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, claimed the lives of at least five people and left eight more hospitalized. The alleged shooter also died. James "Jim" Tutt Jr, 64, was one of five employees killed Monday at Louisville's Old National Bank.
The other four slain victims were Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliot, 63; Deana Eckert, 57; and Juliana Farmer.
Interim Louisville Metro Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel identified the shooter as Connor Sturgeon, who worked at the bank. He was 25 years old, police announced later on Twitter.
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Who was James Tutt?
According to his LinkedIn page, James Tutt worked at Old National Bank as the commercial real estate market executive for the southern region. He began working for the organization in January 2015. Tutt has worked in the field of commercial banking for more than three decades. David Voegele, the executive of Oldham County Judge, was familiar with Tutt because of his time serving on the board of the Oldham-La Grange Development Authority from 2011 to 2022, including several years as its chair.
'Very high quality, well-thought-of individual'
"He added a tremendous amount of insights as we went about developing our office park in LaGrange," Voegele stated. "He's a very high quality, well-thought-of individual … It's just sickening to hear what’s happened." Tutt, a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, earned both an MBA and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Kentucky. The financial consultancy firm VineBranch Enterprises Ltd., which offered project-related financial advising services to commercial real estate developers, had Tutt as its principal from 2007 to 2014. He worked in the Louisville branch of JPMorgan Chase & Co./Bank One Corp from 2001 through 2006.
'Jim will be deeply missed'
Tutt was identified by Louisville Metro Police as one of five victims slain by a workplace gunman on April 10 at a downtown bank branch on East Main Street. He was remembered as "a huge fan and supporter of downtown," according to Rebecca Fleischaker, executive director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. Tutt has been a member of the Downtown Development Corporation's board since 2018, most recently as treasurer. "Jim was very helpful to me as I started my role with Louisville Downtown Partnership last year and had an 'open-door policy' with taking any call or question," she recalled. "The Louisville Downtown Partnership staff send our love and heartfelt condolences to his wife and family as well as his Old National family, for enduring what should be the unthinkable. Jim will be deeply missed," as per Courier Journal.
'King Tutt'
According to his former coworkers, Tutt was very well-known and regarded in Louisville. 64-year-old Debbie Moore, who worked for the bank for 16 years before being hired by Elliott, retired in 2021. Tutt, who Moore claimed she referred to as "King Tutt," was a "family man" with a sweet disposition and a nice grin. She continued, "And I can't believe he's gone," as per NBC News.
