Family mourns Indianapolis man killed in Louisville mass shooting

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — An Indianapolis family is grieving after learning that 40-year-old Joseph Bowers is the man killed in a mass shooting outside a Louisville, Kentucky, nightclub. In total, eight people were shot at the H2O Lounge early Saturday morning.

The family of Joseph Bowers gathered at the family’s west side home Sunday to process his death. He was one of eight siblings.

His family believes Bowers was waiting in line with friends to get into a show at the H2O Lounge when shots rang out outside the nightclub around 12:45 a.m. Louisville police said they found Bowers with gunshot wounds. He was treated by officers until paramedics arrived, but died at the scene.

One woman was taken to the hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds. Police learned that six other people were taken to Louisville-area hospitals with gunshot wounds from the incident.

Doors opened at 10 p.m. Friday night for a multi-act music show at H2O Lounge. Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control says the shooting is under investigation and the nightclub’s owner has temporarily closed the business for safety reasons.

Our TEGNA sister station in Louisville, WHAS, spoke to a community activist there.

“This is a whole new level of grief that is indescribable for this family, who are not necessarily from Louisville,” said Chris 2X, executive director of 2X Game Changers.

According to Bowers’ family, he owned a towing business in Indianapolis.

Louisville police have made no arrests and have no motive for the shooting. The mayor of Louisville posted on social media:

“Last night’s mass shooting makes it painfully clear that we must do more to stop the gun violence plaguing our city.”

Louisville Police believe many people witnessed the shooting outside the H2O Lounge and are hoping those witnesses will come forward with information about who shot Joseph Bowers.