White Man Opens Fire Inside A Cinema. Fatalities Reported Photos
A man opened fire inside a cinema in Lafayette, Louisiana, Thursday night, killing two people and wounding seven others before taking his own life.
The shooter was a 58-year-old white man who was a theater patron, police said. Authorities have his name but are withholding it as the investigation continues.
Lafayette police confirmed shortly before 8 p.m. law enforcement officers responded to a call about an active shooter at the Grand 16 Lafayette at 3141 Johnston St.
Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft confirmed at least three people were killed, including the gunman, who died from a self-inflicted wound.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Nine were transported to area hospitals, eight by ambulance and one by private party. One victim died at a hospital.
About 100 people were inside the theater for a screening of the comedy, “Trainwreck,” when the shooter began firing using a handgun, police said.
.“There’s nothing to believe that there was any kind of motive,” said Col. Michael Edmonson of the Louisiana State Police.
Jalen Fernell said he was in a theater next door.
“I almost thought it was part of the movie at first,” he said of the gunshots.
An alarm went off, followed by an overhead intercom message asking patrons to get out.
“Immediately we get terrified because they are telling us to head out to vehicles,” he said. “It was kinda like a war going on … gunshots after gunshots.”
Paige Bearb, another witness, said she took off running when the alarm sounded.
“I saw people bleeding from the leg, they were shot,” she said. “And I was like ‘Wow.’ It was like a movie itself.”
Four officers entered the theater and found the gunman dead.
“It appears the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after discharging his weapon numerous times,” said Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft.
Bomb squads were called in to sweep the cinema and parking lot for possible hidden explosives Police temporarily closed a nearby Grand theater and deployed officers to other movie houses as a precaution.
They determined the gunman acted alone and there was no additional threat.
“Whenever we hear about these senseless acts of violence, it makes us both furious and sad at the same time,” said Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, from the scene of the shooting.
“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.”
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