Police said the victim was discovered early Wednesday beside a vehicle on Franklin Avenue.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Police are investigating after a man was found dead early Wednesday in the Pleasure Ridge Park area, where officers responding to a reported shooting discovered him lying in the roadway next to a vehicle on Franklin Avenue.
Police said officers were called shortly after 6:15 a.m. to the 2600 block of Franklin Avenue. When they arrived, they found an adult man, believed to be between 23 and 35 years old, with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The case first was described publicly as a homicide investigation, but police later said it was being handled as a death investigation instead. Authorities did not explain the reason for the change. As of Wednesday morning, investigators had not announced any suspects, arrests or a possible motive.
The discovery drew a police response to a residential stretch of the PRP neighborhood as officers worked around a vehicle parked near where the body was found. A tow truck later removed the vehicle from the scene while detectives continued collecting evidence. Police also said they did not know how long the man may have been in the roadway before officers arrived.
The victim’s identity was not immediately released. Investigators also had not said whether the man lived in the area, whether the vehicle belonged to him, or whether anyone nearby heard gunfire before police were called. It also remained unclear who first reported the shooting and what evidence detectives had recovered from the scene.
Louisville Metro Police asked anyone with information to contact the department’s anonymous tip line. By late Wednesday morning, officials had released only limited details, leaving major questions unanswered about what happened on Franklin Avenue and how the man died.
Author note: Last updated April 22, 2026.