Louisville woman injured in Cincinnati shooting rampage in stable condition

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A Louisville woman injured during Thursday’s mass shooting at Fifth Third Bank in downtown Cincinnati is in stable condition.

The family of Whitney Austin released a statement on Friday, saying she’s in stable condition and recovering at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. In the statement, Whitney’s husband of 12 years, Waller, said she is a fighter and in good spirits.

On Austin’s LinkedIn profile she is listed as a Vice President Senior Product Development Manager of Fifth Third Bank. She’s worked for the company since 2003, just after receiving her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Louisivlle. Whitney frequently travels to Cincinnati for work and was in the city on Thursday for a meeting.

While walking into work through the turnstile door on, Whitney was immediately hit by gunfire and shot multiple times, a family member told WAVE 3 News. Her arm and shoulder were broken and required surgery. He said it was a miracle none of the bullets struck a major organ.

“He saw her trying to get her cell phone, came back, shot her again,” Ainsley Thompson, family friend and dance instructor at Dance UNlimited said. “She played dead. When he walked away again, it’s my understanding that a police officer risked his life to go in and pull her out.”

Those details Thompson said were relayed by people close to Austin.

“She’s a fighter,” Thompson said. “She’s got a positive attitude.”

A positive attitude, Thompson added, that is most likely paired with a broken heart for other families now planning funerals.

“We’re so lucky that Whitney is still with us, but knowing them, their hearts are with everyone else as well,” Thompson said. “She’s just one of those kids that you wont forget, ever.”

In the statement released by the family, Whitney thanked the two police officers on Fountain Square who rushed to her aid. She also thanked the doctors, nurses and staff at UC Medical.

“I’m still processing the events from yesterday, the impact to the victims, to me and the community. And I’m thinking about how I can make a difference in the future," Whitney said.

Whitney is in her mid-30′s and is the mother of two children, seven and five years old. Her family said they will soon release details on how people can help during recovery.

Whitney Austin was just one of multiple shooting victims at Fifth Third Bank, three of which were killed.

The shooter, Omar Enrique Santa Perez, 29, was shot and killed by officers at the scene. Police confirmed Santa Perez was not a current or former employee of the bank, nor was he known to be an employee of any other business nearby.

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