Man shot to death in Louisville's Irish Hill neighborhood, police say

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police homicide detectives are investigating after a man was found shot and killed in the city's Irish Hill neighborhood.

Aaron Ellis, a spokesperson for LMPD, said the shooting was reported in the 500 block of Cooper Street around 3:51 p.m. Thursday. The scene is near the intersection with Hull Street, near Lexington Road off of Baxter Avenue.

A WDRB photojournalist at the scene reported seeing a body on the ground. Alicia Smiley, another spokesperson for LMPD, said a man was found shot to death at the scene.

Neighbors told WDRB they initially heard the sound of gunfire.

"This is definitely out of the ordinary for the neighborhood," Charlie Whalen, a neighbor, said.

Whalen says he saw police earlier in the evening when he was making dinner and he thought it was strange.

Some other neighbors came home from work and were surprised to find a portion of the street blocked by police cars and detectives conducting a murder investigation.

"I was like, 'Oh, I wonder if somebody like broke in or something like that,'" Hannah Small, a neighbor, said. I didn't really think anything of it. I was curious but I didn't know."

Detectives from the homicide Unit spent the afternoon talking to neighbors, collecting evidence and looking for suspects.

"That's weird. You know? Like if something happened, if there was like a break-in at night or something," Small said. "I would feel a little surprised but not too much. But that's kind of creepy."

Despite the homicide, some neighbors aren't overly concerned about safety.

"All of our neighbors are like super friendly and like we look out for each other," Small said.

But knowing someone was murdered and the sight of a crime scene isn't easy to ignore.

"I want to make sure if I need to do something differently or like walk with my fiancé now," Small said.

LMPD's Homicide Unit is looking for suspects as of Thursday night.

Anyone with information is asked to call LMPD's crime tip line at (502) 574-LMPD (5673). Tips can also be submitted through the department's crime tip portal by clicking here. Tips can be given anonymously.