One of the victims of Monday’s mass shooting in downtown Louisville, Ky., is the son-in-law of Roy and June Honeycutt and a member of a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church.
Roy Honeycutt, who died in 2005, was the last moderate president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. His widow still lives in Louisville.
Thomas “Tommy” Elliott, 63, was among the four people killed April 10 when a gunman opened fire at the Old National Bank branch in downtown Louisville. The shooter also was killed at the scene.
Elliott was married to Maryanne Honeycutt, one of Roy and June’s two children. Maryanne and her children are longtime members at Broadway Baptist Church in Louisville, and Tommy Elliott also was a more recent member.
Elliott was a senior vice president for commercial real estate at Old National Bank. He also was a close friend of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who spoke with emotion about him at an afternoon news conference.
The governor described Elliott as “an incredible friend” and credited Elliott with helping him build his law career.
“He gave me advice on being a good dad,” Beshear said. “Today I’m hurt and I’m hurting, and I know so many people out there are as well.”
A rapid response from law enforcement saved other lives, including those of two additional friends of the governor, he said. Beshear originally thought those two friends also had died. It turns out that one was injured and hospitalized and the other was not physically injured.
“My faith teaches me that while the body is mortal, the soul is eternal,” Beshear said. “So, I know I will see Tommy again. I know that all of these families and friends in this community will be reunited in a better place without violence. Without the senselessness and hurt we feel today. We will get through this.”
The three others killed in the shooting were Josh Barrick, 40, senior vice president for commercial real estate banking at Old National; James “Jim” Tutt Jr., 64, commercial real estate market executive for the southern region at Old National Bank; and Juliana Farmer, 45, a loan analyst at the bank.
The 25-year-old shooter also was an employee of the bank and livestreamed the assault. Police have not yet indicated a motive for the shooting.