Louisville mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg says a man walked into his campaign office in Butchertown Monday morning, pointed a gun at him and started shooting.
No one was injured during the incident, though Greenberg said a bullet tore through his clothing.
“Despite one bullet coming so close that it grazed my sweater and my shirt, no one was physically harmed. And we’re extraordinarily grateful for our safety. We are shaken, but safe,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg held a news conference Monday evening to make a statement and answer questions about the incident.
The Democratic candidate said during the shooting, four staffers were with him in the office and one staffer “bravely” shut the door, allowing the group to barricade the entrance. He said the suspect fled after that.
Beyond that, Greenberg didn’t reveal many details, saying he didn’t want to interfere with the police investigation.
Greenberg specifically said he wouldn’t comment on the shooter’s motivations, or whether he knew the person.
Greenberg said the incident underscored the need to combat gun violence in the city–one of the planks of his campaign platform.
“The violence my staff and I experienced today is far too common in our city. Too many Louisville families have experienced the trauma of gun violence. Too many in Louisville were not as blessed as my team and I were to survive,” Greenberg said.
Louisville Metro Police Department officers briefly shut down street access to Butchertown Market, the building in the 1200 block of Story Ave. where Greenberg’s campaign office is located.
A suspect is in custody following the incident, though police officials haven’t released the person’s identity or information about a possible motive.
During a press conference Monday afternoon, LMPD Chief Erika Shields said police got calls around 10 a.m. regarding the shooting.
“My team and I are fortunately all safe,” Greenberg said in a late morning tweet.
My team and I are fortunately all safe. We are all with LMPD now. I will provide an update as soon as possible. Thank you for the outpouring of support.
— Mayor Elect Craig Greenberg (@RunWithCraig) February 14, 2022
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Shields said the shooter acted alone and there is no reason to believe at this time that other mayoral candidates are in danger.
Mayor Greg Fischer said in a statement he was “very saddened” by the attack.
“I have spoken to Mr. Greenberg and am grateful that no one was injured. I’m thankful to LMPD and our federal partners for their quick response in clearing the scene and detaining a possible suspect,” he said.
During a news conference Monday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear said he has known Greenberg for 15 years and that the incident was “scary and horrible.”
“I talked to him as soon as I got the news. He is at least physically OK. We’re praying for him and his family and their safety,” Beshear said.
Greenberg is one of a dozen candidates running for mayor this year. Several of them reacted to the attempted shooting with well wishes for Greenberg.
Bill Dieruf, a Republican candidate, said he was praying for Greenberg as well as his family and staff.
“The shooting incident at his office today cannot be condoned. Trust that an incident such as this must not deter candidates from seeking the very best for this community,” he said.
Fellow Democrat Shameka Parrish-Wright shared well wishes for Greenberg in a statement.
“We just thank God he is ok and no one else was seriously injured. My family and I have seen gun violence over and over and everyone on all sides is impacted,” she said.
Timothy Findley, Jr., another Democratic candidate, said he spoke with Greenberg and “made sure he knows we are all in this together.”
“There is no place for gun violence in our city. Today’s shooting is another reminder that gun violence affects every neighborhood in our city and does not discriminate against the areas where it takes place,” Findley, Jr. said in a statement.
This story was updated at 6:11 p.m. Amina Elahi contributed.
