Thomas Elliott, bank VP and Beshear ‘close friend,’ among dead in Louisville shooting

One of those killed in Monday’s mass shooting in Louisville was Thomas K. “Tommy” Elliott, a longtime Democratic Party fundraiser and a friend of both Steve and Andy Beshear, Kentucky’s former and current governors, respectively.

Elliott, 63, was a senior vice president at Old National Bank, where the shooting took place.

Elliott also was a party activist with close ties to more than a generation of Louisville and Kentucky Democratic leaders. He had given tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations over the last 20 years, according to state and federal election disclosures.

At a news conference in Louisville on Monday afternoon, Andy Beshear described Elliott as “one of my closest friends.”

“Tommy Elliott helped me build my law career,” said Beshear, who was visibly upset. “Helped me become governor. Gave me advice on being a good dad. He was one of the people I talked to most in the world, and very rarely were we talking about my job. He was an incredible friend.”

On Twitter, U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, wrote: “Tommy was a friend for many years & he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. My prayers are with families & loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time.”

Monday night, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, said he Elliott had been a friend of his and had also been his banker.

“My friend Tommy Elliott was killed today in Louisville. He was my banker for many years,” Scott said in a tweet. “This news is very shocking and sad for Ann and me. He did so much in the Louisville community, and we pray for his family during this awful time.”

In 2011, then-Gov. Steve Beshear named Elliott as chairman of the Kentucky Retirement Systems Board of Trustees, which oversaw the state’s pension system.

Republican Gov. Matt Bevin removed Elliott in 2016 as part of a restructuring of the KRS board. Elliott fought that decision. In a formal opinion, the state’s attorney general, Andy Beshear, ruled that Bevin overstepped his authority with the removal.

However, when Elliott tried to attend the May 2016 KRS board meeting, he found Kentucky State Police troopers posted in the conference room to prevent him from taking his seat at the table. The matter ended up in litigation.

After the 2019 gubernatorial election, where Andy Beshear defeated Bevin, Elliott served as the chairman of the younger Beshear’s inauguration committee. Private donors raised more than $600,000 to help pay for the festivities in Frankfort.

This is a developing story and will be updated.