The Louisville Metro Police bomb squad truck has just arrived at the scene of a hostage situation at the National City Bank across from Bashford Manor mall.
A witness reported that officers were unloading a robot shortly after they arrived.
Rick Lawson, former Breckinridge County police chief, said he was in the parking lot when the incident started. He said a bank manager told him an armed man sent three people out of the bank but kept four female tellers inside.
Lawson said the manager said he recognized the man, who came inside the bank with a rifle, but he declined to be more specific. Bank employees declined to talk to a reporter.
Another person on the scene, William Fain, said he pulled up to the bank about 9:15 a.m.
He said he didn't actually see the armed man, but "I was going in and I saw a guy let one customer out and then I saw a hand lock the door. A bank employee told me not to go in."
Fain said he was told the armed man rode up to the bank on a bike "and the bike is still laying there."
Louisville Metro Police, which has its SWAT team outside the bank, has not provided any details of the incident.
A witness reported that police have surrounded the area with weapons drawn.
People are being ordered out of the area and Bardstown Road has been closed.
Grace Tolbert was heading to work at a nearby restaurant when she was stopped.
"I work at the Moby Dick and the police would not let me in there. And now they won't let me get back to my car," she said.