LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An Indianapolis family is grieving after learning 40-year-old Joseph Bowers is the man killed in a mass shooting outside a nightclub in Louisville, Kentucky. In all, eight people were shot at the H2O Lounge early Saturday morning.
Joseph Bowers' family gathered Sunday, June 23 at the family's west side home to begin processing his death. He was one of eight siblings.
His family believes that Bowers was waiting in line with friends to get inside a show at the H2O Lounge when shots were fired outside the nightclub about 12:45 a.m. Louisville Police say they found Bowers with gunshot wounds. He was treated by officers until medics arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A woman was taken to the hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds. Police learned that six more people showed up at Louisville-area hospitals with gunshot wounds from the incident.
Doors opened at 10 p.m. Friday night for a music show with multiple acts at the H2O Lounge. Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control says the shooting is under investigation and says the owner of the nightclub temporarily closed the business due to public safety concerns.
WHAS, our TEGNA sister station in Louisville, talked to a community activist there.
"It takes on another level of grief that is indescribable for that particular family who's not necessarily from Louisville," said Chris 2X, executive director of 2X Game Changers.
Bowers' family says he owned a towing company in Indianapolis.
Louisville police haven't arrested anyone and have not determined a motive for the shooting either.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg posted the following message on social media X:
"Last night's mass shooting makes it painfully clear that we must do more to stop the gun violence that is plaguing our city."
Louisville police believe many people likely witnessed the shooting outside the H2O Lounge. They hope those witnesses will come forward to provide information on who shot and killed Bowers.