3 dead in movie theater shooting, including gunman
Jul 23, 2015, 7:00 PM | Updated: 9:49 pm
LAFAYETTE, La. — A gunman opened fire at a movie theater in Lousiana on Thursday night, killing two people and injuring seven others before shooting himself, officials said.
Authorities have not released the identity of the gunman but say the 58-year-old white man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting took place at the Grand Theatre in the city of Lafayette, said Clay Henry, vice president of operations for Acadian Ambulance.
Lafayette police Chief Jim Craft says the death toll in the movie theater shooting has increased to three. Craft said at a news conference that seven victims were wounded and their injuries ranged from not life-threatening to critical.
“This is an awful night for Lafayette. This is an awful night for Louisiana. This is an awful night for the United States. But we will get through this,” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said at a news conference Thursday night.
Henry said eight people were brought to the hospital and that two, including the gunman, were pronounced dead on arrival.
Henry said emergency workers got the call to go to the theater about 7:30 p.m. He did not immediately have any additional information.
The Daily Advertiser quoted City Marshal Brian Pope as saying that the shooter turned the gun on himself after firing at the others, and that six people were injured.
The shooting happened about 20 minutes into a 7 p.m. showing of the movie “Train Wreck,” according to the newspaper, which quoted theatergoer Katie Domingue.
My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana.
— Amy Schumer (@amyschumer) July 24, 2015
“We heard a loud pop we thought was a firecracker,” Domingue told the newspaper. Domingue said she saw “an older white man” standing up and shooting down into the theater, but not in her direction.
“He wasn’t saying anything. I didn’t hear anybody screaming either,” Domingue said.
Domingue told the newspaper she heard about six shots before she and her fiance ran to the nearest exit, leaving behind her shoes and purse.