Twenty-two-year-old Tyler Bright has been working toward a career in sports broadcasting. His family said he was shot in the neck.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Friends of Tyler Bright said the 22-year-old is recovering after undergoing surgery at UofL Hospital. A week ago, they learned he had been shot at the Duramart gas station on South 7th Street.
LMPD said first responders found a man who had been shot while inside a vehicle. Family members later confirmed the victim was Bright, who suffered a gunshot wound to the neck.
Police believe the shot came from a fleeing vehicle.
“Commitment is something I would attribute to Tyler,” said Bobby Blankenship, who hired Bright as an intern. “He came in wearing a full suit. He walked in and I thought, ‘For a student, this is someone who’s taking this very seriously.’”
Blankenship said he and Bright became close friends after meeting. Smiling, he pointed to a hat displayed behind him that Bright had given as a gift. By hiring Bright, Blankenship helped him gain experience as he worked toward his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster.
Bright graduated from UofL in May of last year. While attending the university, he worked on the student-run sports highlights show, Cardinals Pulse. He also called games for UofL, Bellarmine, and Jeffersonville.
During that time, he formed close friendships, including one with Nick Ziniti.
“That’s why it made it so hard to read when I found out it happened, because it happens to someone like that and it’s just unfair,” Ziniti said.
Both Blankenship and Ziniti said they were stunned when they learned Bright had been shot. He was just weeks away from starting a job in his field in Iowa.
Bright came to UofL from Michigan. Blankenship said he has seen an outpouring of support from people Bright connected with after news of the shooting spread.
“Just to see the community come together to support Tyler and his family has been — I mean, it gets me emotional,” Blankenship said.
Ziniti and Blankenship said they want to visit Bright in the hospital but have not been able to. They said his family has remained by his side since the shooting, and Bright has undergone surgery as part of his recovery.
Those close to him say his determination is fueling their hope that he will recover.
“No matter what it looks like afterward, Tyler Bright will find a way to call a game,” Ziniti said. “He’s just so dedicated and driven. His love for what he does is going to carry him.”
The shooting remains under investigation.
Bright’s family has started a fundraiser to help cover medical expenses.
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