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US cinema shooting: Two killed in attack in Lafayette | US cinema shooting: Two killed in attack in Lafayette |
(35 minutes later) | |
A gunman has opened fire at a cinema in the US state of Louisiana, killing two people and injuring several others before shooting himself, officials say. | A gunman has opened fire at a cinema in the US state of Louisiana, killing two people and injuring several others before shooting himself, officials say. |
Police said the attacker was a 58-year-old white male armed with a handgun but did not release any further details. | Police said the attacker was a 58-year-old white male armed with a handgun but did not release any further details. |
Witnesses said the man opened fire about 20 minutes into a screening of a film at the Grand Theatre in Lafayette. | Witnesses said the man opened fire about 20 minutes into a screening of a film at the Grand Theatre in Lafayette. |
Hours earlier, US President Barack Obama told the BBC that gun-law reform had been his "greatest frustration". | |
Police chief Jim Craft said officers responded to reports of a shooting at about 19:30 local time (01:30 GMT). | Police chief Jim Craft said officers responded to reports of a shooting at about 19:30 local time (01:30 GMT). |
The local ambulance service said two people were dead on arrival. One of them was the gunman, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot. | The local ambulance service said two people were dead on arrival. One of them was the gunman, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot. |
Mr Craft said seven other people were taken to a local hospital with injuries ranging from critical to non-life threatening. | Mr Craft said seven other people were taken to a local hospital with injuries ranging from critical to non-life threatening. |
The identity of the gunman is known to police, Mr Craft added, but it is not being released at this time. | The identity of the gunman is known to police, Mr Craft added, but it is not being released at this time. |
Lafayette is a city of about 120,000 people about 55 miles (90 km) southwest of Baton Rouge. | |
One witness said she heard a loud bang like a firecracker and saw a man standing up and shooting during a screening of the film Trainwreck. | One witness said she heard a loud bang like a firecracker and saw a man standing up and shooting during a screening of the film Trainwreck. |
"He wasn't saying anything. I didn't hear anybody screaming either," Katie Domingue told local newspaper The Advertiser. | "He wasn't saying anything. I didn't hear anybody screaming either," Katie Domingue told local newspaper The Advertiser. |
About 100 people are thought to have been in the building at the time of the shooting. | About 100 people are thought to have been in the building at the time of the shooting. |
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who arrived at the scene late on Thursday night, told reporters: "We will get through this. We are a resilient community." | Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who arrived at the scene late on Thursday night, told reporters: "We will get through this. We are a resilient community." |
"This is an awful night for Lafayette. This is an awful night for Louisiana. This is an awful night for the United States," he added. | "This is an awful night for Lafayette. This is an awful night for Louisiana. This is an awful night for the United States," he added. |
Amy Schumer, a US comedian and actress who stars in Trainwreck, tweeted: "My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana." | Amy Schumer, a US comedian and actress who stars in Trainwreck, tweeted: "My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana." |
The shooting comes as a jury deliberates the death penalty for a gunman who attacked a cinema in Colorado three years ago. | The shooting comes as a jury deliberates the death penalty for a gunman who attacked a cinema in Colorado three years ago. |
James Holmes, 27, killed 12 people and wounding 70 others in July 2012 at a screening of a Batman film near Denver. | James Holmes, 27, killed 12 people and wounding 70 others in July 2012 at a screening of a Batman film near Denver. |