2 killed in Highlands shooting identified, LMPD in 'initial stages' of investigation

Louisville Metro Police continues to investigate a Sunday morning shooting in the Original Highlands neighborhood that left two men dead and one hospitalized.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 900 block of Baxter Avenue, LMPD spokesperson John Bradley said in a statement Sunday. One man who had been shot, later identified as 20-year-old Michael Bachelor Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man who was also shot, later identified as 29-year-old Montay Wade, was taken by first responders to University of Louisville Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

A short time later, a third man injured in the shooting arrived by private means to Norton Women and Children's Hospital. He is expected to survive, Bradley said.

LMPD is in the "initial stages of the investigation,” spokesperson Matthew Sanders said in a statement to The Courier Journal, and would not say if any suspects had been arrested. Officials later said that they are aware of allegations that the three people shot may be affiliated with local gangs, but will not confirm or deny any information at this point in the investigation.

"LMPD homicide investigations are diligently aimed at finding (and bringing to justice) those who perpetrate these crimes. All victims, and their loved ones, are entitled to the best effort our investigators can put forward, and investigators do so tirelessly, regardless of suspected organizational affiliations of the victims," officials said in a statement Wednesday. "Our focus remains on continuing this investigation leading to an arrest and ultimate prosecution of those responsible for this senseless act of violence."

Highlands shooting the latest in string of notable homicides

Homicide cases are up slightly from this time last year, according to data from LMPD's gun violence dashboard . LMPD reported 104 homicide deaths from 98 incidents as of Wednesday. On the same date in 2023, LMPD reported 97 deaths from 87 incidents. Louisville appears to be bucking a nationwide trend for 2024, as the FBI reported in June the homicide rate in the U.S. was down 26.4% from January to March.

LMPD's dashboard also showed the number of reported year-to-date shooting incidents was lower in 2024 (296) than it was in 2023 (306), 2022 (340), 2021 (481) and 2020 (365).

On July 21, 31-year-old Devontae Beach was pronounced dead at the scene of a late night shooting in the 800 block of West Main Street, near the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, and the Kentucky Science Center. LMPD officers reported finding Beach suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. He was pronounced dead by EMS at the scene.

Beach served as a manager for Louisville native EST Gee, who performed a concert at the KFC Yum! Center earlier that night.

The investigation into Beach's death remained ongoing as of Tuesday, according to LMPD's open homicide page,

On July 26, a man died from a shooting near Greenwood Elementary School in Pleasure Ridge Park. LMPD officers were dispatched to the area on a report of a motor vehicle collision in the area. They arrived to find a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency medical services took him to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The same day of the incident, LMPD said it arrested 31-year-old Patrick Anderson in connection to the shooting near Greenwood Elementary. Anderson faces charges of murder, tampering with physical evidence and possession of a handgun as convicted felon, according to court records.

This story may update.

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 2 killed in Highlands shooting identified, LMPD in 'initial stages' of investigation