The Louisville officer shot in the head while responding to the shooting graduated from the police academy 10 days ago

CNN  — 

A 26-year-old rookie Louisville police officer – who graduated from the police academy just 10 days ago – was hospitalized after being shot in the head while responding to a mass shooting Monday at a downtown bank that left four people dead and nine injured, police said.

Louisville Metro Police Department Officer Nickolas Wilt is in critical but stable condition at a hospital and underwent brain surgery, said Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, the interim chief of the police department. He was struck in the head during a shootout with the gunman in the bank, she said during a news conference.

Wilt was new to the department, having graduated from the police academy on March 31, the chief said.

“I just swore him in, and his family was there to witness his journey to become a police officer,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.

The shooting at Old National Bank broke out just after 8:30 a.m. police said, about 30 minutes before the bank opens to the public.

Officers responded within three minutes of being dispatched and found the gunman was still firing inside the bank, authorities said. Police got into a shootout with the gunman, killing him, Gwinn-Villaroel said.

The shooter was identified by authorities as Connor Sturgeon, a 23-year-old employee.

One other officer was also injured in the attack. That officer was hospitalized after being hit in the elbow, the chief said.

The four victims, all between the ages of 40 and 64, were identified as Joshua Barrick, Juliana Farmer, Tommy Elliott and James Tutt, the chief said. The victims included a close friend of Gov. Andy Beshear, who he credited with helping him both professionally and in his personal life.

Of the nine people injured, three are hospitalized in critical condition – including Wilt – three are in non-critical condition and three have been released, the chief said.

“This will be a long complex investigation involving local, state and our federal partners,” Gwinn-Villaroel said.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told CNN he visited Wilt at the University of Louisville Hospital, saying Wilt “made it through surgery and he’s in serious condition at the hospital right now but he is in great hands.”

Greenberg said that he handed Wilt his graduation diploma from the police academy.

“I paid a visit to his academy class that was there at the hospital offering to support him, offering the support to he and his family today,” the mayor said.