Fund Created to Help Cover Expenses for Louisville Police Officer Shot During Mass Shooting
The Louisville Police Foundation is accepting donations for a fund it created for Officer Nick Wilt who is in critical, but stable, condition at a University of Louisville hospital after being shot while engaging the active shooter at Old National Bank earlier this week.
As you've likely heard in the days following the shooting on Monday, Wilt had just graduated from the police academy 10 days prior to Monday's shootout. He arrived on the scene with his training officer and both were attempting to make their way into the building when the shooter, 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon opened fire, striking Wilt in the head.
Fund Set Up to Help Cover Officer Wilt's Expenses
The Louisville Metro Police Foundation shared photos of Wilt in a post on its Facebook page on Wednesday saying he has a passion for public service. Before joining the Louisville Metro Police Department, Wilt worked as a dispatcher at Oldham County EMS as well as spending time as a firefighter. The post also said his father passed away suddenly in February and since that time, he's been taking care of his mother by being a "handyman."
In addition to the post recognizing Officer Wilt's heroic action, the LMP Foundation has also created a fund to help cover any and all medical or other expenses Wilt's family will have as he makes his way down what will likely be a long road to recovery.
As of this writing, the fund had already collected over $115,000. A solid number for sure, but with the amount of time Wilt will likely spend in the hospital along with the number of follow-up appointments he will likely need, that money will go quickly. If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so through the LMP Foundation's Facebook page.
[Sources: Louisville Metro Police Foundation on Facebook / CNN]