Report: Gunman Opens Fire in La. Movie Theater, Three Dead

A gunman opened fire in the Grand 16 Movie Theatre in Lafayette, La., killing himself and at least two moviegoers, and injuring 8 others, reports the Advocate.

According to Police Chief Jim Craft, the shooter was a "white male in his 50s who used a handgun."

The shooting occured at approximately 7:30 p.m., during a showing of "Trainwreck," said witnesses.

 The Advocate reports:

[Craft said] that the shooter acted alone in what appears to be an isolated incident. Out of an abundance of caution, he said, authorities closed the other Grand Theater on Kaliste Saloom Road in Lafayette and posted officers around the city.

The injured were taken to area hospitals, some in critical condition.

Some 100 people were in the theater at the time, officials said.

The Lafayette Parish coroner was still inside the theater, processing the scene, during the press conference.

Also at the conference was Gov. Bobby Jindal, who praised the actions of the first responders.

“They ran toward shots fired, toward danger, not away from it,” Jindal said, adding that “Lafayette is a strong community. We will get through this.”

The governor also said he plans to meet with the families of the victims.

“A lot of us are horrified and shocked,” he said, asking the public to “shower” the families with “thoughts, hugs and prayers.”

The "older white man" stood up and started shooting down into the crowd, according to a witness, who said the movie was about 20 minutes in when she heard the first shot.

"We heard a loud pop we thought was a firecracker," she said.

"He wasn't saying anything. I didn't hear anybody screaming either," she said.

The investigation will take a number of days, according to Craft. Witnesses on the scene allegedly knew the shooter but his name has not been released.

 

According to the Advocate, "Lafayette Police were assisted by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, FBI, State Police, the District Attorney’s Office, the state Fire Marshal and the Lafayette Fire Department."

Gov. Bobby Jindal's office responded to the fluid situation on Twitter. 

This is a developing story.