Louisville has created a reunification centre for residents searching for updates on family members involved in the Old National Bank shooting. The mayor's office has advised victims and family members to use the Louisville Convention Center downtown as an "assistance centre" for anyone who needs updates after this morning's shooting. We are expecting a press conference with additional details shortly.

Image source, Getty Images

We're now hearing a bit more from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who earlier tearfully told reporters a close friend of his "didn't make it today".

"Today is a tragedy," Beshear writes on Twitter, adding that not only Louisville but "the entire commonwealth" are in mourning.

"A senseless act took the lives of our fellow Kentuckians, including friends of mine," he says.

The governor speaks of the "unimaginable" pain families are experiencing right now, and he thanks first responders for their efforts.

"We are forever grateful," Beshear adds.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre opened today's press briefing with a statement about "another senseless act of gun violence... this time in Lousiville, Kentucky".

She said President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are grateful for the police officers "who stepped in the line of fire" to save lives.

She said the president urged Republicans in Congress "to take action and ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines", among other actions.

"The majority of Americans want this," she said.

Image source, Reuters

Local political leaders from all sides have been reacting to the shooting.

Democrat Representative Keturah Herron expressed "outrage and anger" that mass shootings were happening on a daily basis in the US and "today was our turn in Louisville".

"As we hold our community tighter there must [be] outrage and anger," she said, external. "We live in a war zone and we shouldn’t have to."

Republicans, including Attorney General Daniel Cameron, urged people to pray for those affected and praised the "brave men and women of our law enforcement community".

We're expecting to hear more from Louisville from local authorities at a news conference at 15:00 local time (20:00 BST).

During the last news conference around three hours ago, Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said it remained unclear whether the suspect was shot by police or killed himself.

Five people, including the gunman, are known to have died and a further eight are injured.

Two of those injured are police officers, and one of them was in a critical condition and undergoing surgery.

Image source, Gett

US President Joe Biden has called today's mass shooting "a senseless act of gun violence".

He says "too many Americans" are paying for "inaction" with their lives, as he urged Republicans in Congress to do more.

"When will Republicans in Congress act to protect our communities?"

It echoes Biden's renewed calls for gun-control legislation, but his desire to pass new reforms faces familiar obstacles.

Many Republican senators represent states with large pro-gun communities.

The BBC's North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher walks us through some of those hurdles here.

At least two officers were among the eight people injured during a gunfire exchange between Louisville police and the gunman at the Old National Bank this morning.

Deputy police chief Paul Humphrey said two of those injured were in a critical condition, with one those being a police officer.

Police say the officer in a critical condition is undergoing surgery at University of Louisville Hospital.

A man from Kentucky says his wife, who works at the bank targeted in the shooting, hid inside the bank's vault after hearing gun shots.

"A very traumatic phone call to get," at 08:30 he adds.

She called him in panic, he says, asking him to call 911 - by the time he called police said they were aware of the incident and approaching the scene.

Jim Ryan, CEO of Old National Bank, said his focus is on those employees and officials affected by the shooting, in a statement posted to Facebook.

"The safety of Old National Bank employees and everyone we serve in our banking centre locations is paramount,” Ryan said, adding that bank executives are, "keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers".

The BBC's Anthony Zurcher explains why, depsite the increase in mass shootings in the United States, efforts to pass sweeping gun reform might face familiar obstacles.

With Republicans in control of the House of Representatives and Democrats holding a slim majority in the Senate, efforts to pass new gun-control laws face significant challenges.

Read on to find out what it might take to pass new gun laws to curb mass shootings in the United States.

The Governor of Kentucky, Democrat Andy Beshear, who we heard from at the news conference a little earlier, has had previous plans for tighter gun control rejected.

Following the Rob Elementary School shooting in May last year, Beshear said the Republican-controlled Kentucky Legislature had not "entertained" any gun control plans.

Speaking about tightening gun laws at the time, he said: "That would have to be a conversation that legislative leadership would entertain and in recent years they have not entertained any of them."

Mr Beshear said that he had filed a Bill to remove guns from people deemed dangerous by a court - a so-called 'red flag' law - but no vote was taken.

Image source, USA TODAY NETWORK/Reuters

A mass shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, has left five people dead and injured another eight, who are being treated in hospital. Let's have a quick look at what we know so far:

• At around 08:30 local time, an active shooter was reported to Louisville Police and officers responded in less than three minutes
• The suspect died after an exchange of gunfire with police officers at Old National Bank
• But it remains unclear whether the suspect was shot by police or killed himself, Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey told a news conference
• One police officer is among those injured - we're chasing reports about a second
• Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg thanked all first responders, whose actions "without a doubt" saved lives
• Kentucky Governor Beshear tearfully told reporters he knew one of the victims. "This is awful. I have a very close friend who didn't make it today," he said

There have been more than 140 mass shootings, external in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines, external a "mass shooting" as one in which at least four victims are shot, injured or killed.

Today, 10 April, is the 100th day of the year, meaning there's been more mass shootings in America than days in the year. A grim distinction for a country that's extremely divided over how to deal with the scourge of gun violence.

Image source, BBC News

Louisville Deputy Police Chief Paul Humphrey said officers arrived at the scene within three minutes and encountered the gunman still firing.

Some more pictures from the scene, as police gather evidence about exactly what happened.

Image source, CBS

Image source, CBS

Image source, CBS

Mayor Craig Greenberg asks people to pray for those injured in hospital, and thanks all of the first responders.

"Brave heroic men and women of LMPD [Louisville Metro Police Department]," he adds.

Greenberg commends their prompt response to the emergency call, and says "without a doubt their actions saved lives".

Governor Beshear is also speaking at the news briefing.

He thanks the officers who made it to the scene "in a matter of minutes". One officer is in surgery "because he took action to protect the people of Louisville," Beshear says.

"This is awful. I have a very close friend who didn't make it today," he says, his voice breaking.

"We've got to wrap our arms around these families," the governor says.

"Our bodies and our minds are not meant to go through these types of tragedies," he says.

He encourages "people who are hurting today" to "get the help they need" with "love and compassion".

"I do believe this is a safe community," he says.

We're now hearing from Mayor Craig Greenberg, who says authorities will know more in the coming days.

"We will come together as a community to work to prevent these horrific acts of gun violence from continuing here and around the state," Greenberg says.

"We are a safer community, we are a stronger community" thanks to the work of police officers.

"We believe this is a lone gunman involved in this that did have a connection to the bank... It appears he was a previous employee," deputy police chief Paul Humphrey says.

Eight people are currently being treated, including a police officer, police told a news conference in Louisville.

Dept Chief Humphrey says the heroic response of officers made sure no more people were seriously injured.