John Russell Houser Identified as Louisiana Movie Theater Shooter
A "drifter" sat silently in a movie theater for twenty minutes before shooting eleven other patrons in an incident that was over in matter of seconds, witnesses and police in Louisiana said early Friday.
John Russell Houser, 59, was seated in the theater "just like everybody else" before killing two people and wounding nine others with a handgun, Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft told reporters. Houser later took his own life.
The two people he shot dead were named Friday as Macy Breaux, 21, and Jillian Johnson, 33. One of the wounded remained in critical condition, officials said.
Houser, who is from Phoenix City, Alabama, had been staying in a local Motel six in latest weeks. Police said the gunman was "estranged" from his family but there was no indication yet what drove him to carry out the killings.
Investigators found wigs, glasses, and disguises in Houser’s motel room and his vehicle had a switched license plate on it.
Survivors scrambled for the exits but the Houser left behind "a pretty horrific scene" before shooting himself, Craft added.
About one hundred people were watching the 7:Ten pm. (8:Ten p.m. ET) showcasing of "Trainwreck" at the Grand Theatre sixteen when they heard a popping sound twenty minutes into the movie.
"A lot of the people thought it was part of the film," witness Josh Doggett, 32, told NBC Los Angeles. There was a pause, but when the firing resumed "everyone commenced climbing over the seats," he said.
"In the top left of the theater was a man shooting. He was kind of a middle-aged gentleman in a polo T-shirt," he said. "He wasn’t erratic or jumpy … just walking down the aisle, randomly firing."
Among those attempting to flee were two teachers, identified by friends as Jena Meaux and Ali Martin, one of whom managed to set off the fire alarm.
Doggett’s fiance, Katie Domingue, ran to the nearest exit, leaving behind her footwear and purse. She heard about six shots and witnessed "an older white man" standing up and shooting.
"He wasn’t telling anything," she told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. "I didn’t hear anybody screaming either."
The two people who died had been sitting in front of the shooter and were his very first victims, Craft said.
Police officers, who happened to be in the parking lot, were on the scene "in less than a minute … it could have been as little as thirty seconds," he said.
Their prompt arrival may have spooked the gunman into killing himself — potentially preventing a greater tragedy.
Read More Chattanooga Gunman Was Not on Terrorism Radar, Officials Say
"It looks like he spotted the officers coming in and he turned around and went against the crowd and he fired a single gunshot," Craft said.
In a neighboring theater, patrons heard the faint gunshots over the sound of their movie. "I heard three pops, then . about 10-15 seconds later the sirens went off and the PA system told everyone to evacuate the building," said Jalen Fernell, 20, who was watching "Southpaw" with friends.
Outside, they realized the scale of the horror inwards. "There was a middle-aged female lounging down, she was shot in her gam and there was blood," Fernell said. "She said she was shot inwards the theater and and some guys had picked her up and brought her outside and put her on the curb."
Appearing on Friday’s TODAY, he told Matt Lauer: "I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was the last thing I thought would happened when my friends texted and said, ‘Let’s go to the movies.’"
"Trainwreck" is a romantic comedy starring Amy Schumer, who tweeted:
Gunman kills Two, self in Louisiana theater shooting
John Russell Houser Identified as Louisiana Movie Theater Shooter
A "drifter" sat silently in a movie theater for twenty minutes before shooting eleven other patrons in an incident that was over in matter of seconds, witnesses and police in Louisiana said early Friday.
John Russell Houser, 59, was seated in the theater "just like everybody else" before killing two people and wounding nine others with a handgun, Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft told reporters. Houser later took his own life.
The two people he shot dead were named Friday as Macy Breaux, 21, and Jillian Johnson, 33. One of the wounded remained in critical condition, officials said.
Houser, who is from Phoenix City, Alabama, had been staying in a local Motel six in latest weeks. Police said the gunman was "estranged" from his family but there was no indication yet what drove him to carry out the killings.
Investigators found wigs, glasses, and disguises in Houser’s motel room and his vehicle had a switched license plate on it.
Survivors scrambled for the exits but the Houser left behind "a pretty horrific scene" before shooting himself, Craft added.
About one hundred people were watching the 7:Ten pm. (8:Ten p.m. ET) showcasing of "Trainwreck" at the Grand Theatre sixteen when they heard a popping sound twenty minutes into the movie.
"A lot of the people thought it was part of the film," witness Josh Doggett, 32, told NBC Los Angeles. There was a pause, but when the firing resumed "everyone embarked climbing over the seats," he said.
"In the top left of the theater was a man shooting. He was kind of a middle-aged gentleman in a polo T-shirt," he said. "He wasn’t erratic or jumpy … just walking down the aisle, randomly firing."
Among those attempting to flee were two teachers, identified by friends as Jena Meaux and Ali Martin, one of whom managed to set off the fire alarm.
Doggett’s fiance, Katie Domingue, ran to the nearest exit, leaving behind her footwear and purse. She heard about six shots and eyed "an older white man" standing up and shooting.
"He wasn’t telling anything," she told the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. "I didn’t hear anybody screaming either."
The two people who died had been sitting in front of the shooter and were his very first victims, Craft said.
Police officers, who happened to be in the parking lot, were on the scene "in less than a minute … it could have been as little as thirty seconds," he said.
Their prompt arrival may have spooked the gunman into killing himself — potentially preventing a greater tragedy.
Read More Chattanooga Gunman Was Not on Terrorism Radar, Officials Say
"It looks like he spotted the officers coming in and he turned around and went against the crowd and he fired a single gunshot," Craft said.
In a neighboring theater, patrons heard the faint gunshots over the sound of their movie. "I heard three pops, then . about 10-15 seconds later the sirens went off and the PA system told everyone to evacuate the building," said Jalen Fernell, 20, who was watching "Southpaw" with friends.
Outside, they realized the scale of the horror inwards. "There was a middle-aged female lounging down, she was shot in her gam and there was blood," Fernell said. "She said she was shot inwards the theater and and some guys had picked her up and brought her outside and put her on the curb."
Appearing on Friday’s TODAY, he told Matt Lauer: "I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was the last thing I thought would happened when my friends texted and said, ‘Let’s go to the movies.’"
"Trainwreck" is a romantic comedy starring Amy Schumer, who tweeted: