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| John Houser: Louisiana police look into mental health issues of theater gunman | John Houser: Louisiana police look into mental health issues of theater gunman |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| On Friday, police in Lafayette, Louisiana, were trying to piece together scraps of a life and a motive. The night before, a single white man opened fire in a movie theater, killing two and injuring nine. He then shot himself. | On Friday, police in Lafayette, Louisiana, were trying to piece together scraps of a life and a motive. The night before, a single white man opened fire in a movie theater, killing two and injuring nine. He then shot himself. |
| The 59-year-old “drifter” was named as John Russel Houser. He was reported to have had problems with mental illness and to have had violent and “disturbing” thoughts since at least 2008. | The 59-year-old “drifter” was named as John Russel Houser. He was reported to have had problems with mental illness and to have had violent and “disturbing” thoughts since at least 2008. |
| Related: Lafayette shooting victims were a bright student and an artistic entrepeneur | Related: Lafayette shooting victims were a bright student and an artistic entrepeneur |
| “We believe in talking to the family, talking to the friends, trying to look at his writings on the internet and putting some parts and pieces together and maybe we can figure out what caused him to do it,” Colonel Mike Edmonson of the Louisiana state police told reporters. Officers were interviewing 116 people in connection with the shooting. | “We believe in talking to the family, talking to the friends, trying to look at his writings on the internet and putting some parts and pieces together and maybe we can figure out what caused him to do it,” Colonel Mike Edmonson of the Louisiana state police told reporters. Officers were interviewing 116 people in connection with the shooting. |
| Houser was believed to have driven his 1995 blue Lincoln Continental from a local motel to the movie theater at around 7.30pm for a showing of Trainwreck, an Amy Schumer comedy. He opened fire into a crowd of 24 people. | Houser was believed to have driven his 1995 blue Lincoln Continental from a local motel to the movie theater at around 7.30pm for a showing of Trainwreck, an Amy Schumer comedy. He opened fire into a crowd of 24 people. |
| “He walked in just like any patron, purchased the ticket to watch the movie,” said Lafayette police chief Jim Craft, regarding surveillance video from the ticket counter. “It didn’t set off any alarms for anybody. He wasn’t acting different from any other person.” | “He walked in just like any patron, purchased the ticket to watch the movie,” said Lafayette police chief Jim Craft, regarding surveillance video from the ticket counter. “It didn’t set off any alarms for anybody. He wasn’t acting different from any other person.” |
| In Houser’s hotel room, police found wigs, glasses and disguises. On Friday morning, the ATF was attempting to trace the origins of the .40-caliber firearm used in the shooting. | In Houser’s hotel room, police found wigs, glasses and disguises. On Friday morning, the ATF was attempting to trace the origins of the .40-caliber firearm used in the shooting. |
| Houser appears to have had court-documented violence in his past, and a spotty if self-reported employment record. Some online records appeared to show extreme views, although the legitimacy of such writings was at best difficult to confirm. | Houser appears to have had court-documented violence in his past, and a spotty if self-reported employment record. Some online records appeared to show extreme views, although the legitimacy of such writings was at best difficult to confirm. |
| Houser graduated from Columbus State University in Georgia in 1988 with a degree in accounting, the school reported. The school said it had few remaining records of Houser’s time there, as disciplinary files are destroyed after five years. | Houser graduated from Columbus State University in Georgia in 1988 with a degree in accounting, the school reported. The school said it had few remaining records of Houser’s time there, as disciplinary files are destroyed after five years. |
| Related: Lafayette shooting sets off a familiar chain reaction across political spectrum | |
| From there, in 1994, Houser attended the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University, a private, Christian university in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated in spring 1998, before the school was accredited by the American Bar Association. The association confirmed that Houser never passed the bar exam in that state. He was never bar-certified in Georgia either. | From there, in 1994, Houser attended the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University, a private, Christian university in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated in spring 1998, before the school was accredited by the American Bar Association. The association confirmed that Houser never passed the bar exam in that state. He was never bar-certified in Georgia either. |
| According to Houser’s LinkedIn profile, he owned and operated the Peachtree Pub in Columbus, Georgia, and then Rusty’s Buckethead Pub in LaGrange, Georgia. Those two cities are within an hour of each other, along the state’s western border. | According to Houser’s LinkedIn profile, he owned and operated the Peachtree Pub in Columbus, Georgia, and then Rusty’s Buckethead Pub in LaGrange, Georgia. Those two cities are within an hour of each other, along the state’s western border. |
| While in Columbus, in 1993, Houser guest-hosted the Rise and Shine show on WLTZ, a television station that was little more than a public access channel at the time. The show’s regular host, Calvin Floyd, had Houser on to “stir the pot”, the station’s general sales manager told the Guardian on Friday. | While in Columbus, in 1993, Houser guest-hosted the Rise and Shine show on WLTZ, a television station that was little more than a public access channel at the time. The show’s regular host, Calvin Floyd, had Houser on to “stir the pot”, the station’s general sales manager told the Guardian on Friday. |
| “I think he was brought on to stir the pot, so to speak,” said Fred Steppe. “Usually, he would talk about political ideas, I think. Again, that was long before I moved the market.” | “I think he was brought on to stir the pot, so to speak,” said Fred Steppe. “Usually, he would talk about political ideas, I think. Again, that was long before I moved the market.” |
| Steppe said Houser was believed to have taken phone calls. He was never an employee of the station. Floyd, who regularly hosted the show, paid for the Rise and Shine airtime between 6am and 7am and regularly hosted gospel singers and a hunting and fishing report. | Steppe said Houser was believed to have taken phone calls. He was never an employee of the station. Floyd, who regularly hosted the show, paid for the Rise and Shine airtime between 6am and 7am and regularly hosted gospel singers and a hunting and fishing report. |
| The station, now an NBC affiliate, had no news programming at the time and likely very little viewership, as the time slot faced competition from two traditional newscasts. The Rise and Shine show was moved after WLTZ was purchased by its current owners, then canceled in August 2012. While Houser hosted, owners kept no archives whatsoever, so no records of his “ideas” from the time exist. | The station, now an NBC affiliate, had no news programming at the time and likely very little viewership, as the time slot faced competition from two traditional newscasts. The Rise and Shine show was moved after WLTZ was purchased by its current owners, then canceled in August 2012. While Houser hosted, owners kept no archives whatsoever, so no records of his “ideas” from the time exist. |
| “He came on so irregularly. We’ve had so many people on that show over the years, so no, no one remembers anything significant about Houser,” Steppe said. | “He came on so irregularly. We’ve had so many people on that show over the years, so no, no one remembers anything significant about Houser,” Steppe said. |
| Reached by the Guardian, Floyd said: “I have talked all I want to talk about John Houser for one day.” | Reached by the Guardian, Floyd said: “I have talked all I want to talk about John Houser for one day.” |
| Houser’s work history on LinkedIn stops in 2008, when he listed his last employment as a real-estate developer in Phenix City, Alabama, across Lake Oliver from Columbus. At that time, authorities said, he borrowed money from his mother. | Houser’s work history on LinkedIn stops in 2008, when he listed his last employment as a real-estate developer in Phenix City, Alabama, across Lake Oliver from Columbus. At that time, authorities said, he borrowed money from his mother. |
| “He was going to get his life together, he told her,” Colonel Edmonson told reporters. | “He was going to get his life together, he told her,” Colonel Edmonson told reporters. |
| Houser was known to law enforcement. In 2005 in Columbus, a domestic violence complaint was filed against him by his wife. There appears to have been “no follow-up by the victim” in the case, Russell County sheriff Heath Taylor told reporters on Friday. | Houser was known to law enforcement. In 2005 in Columbus, a domestic violence complaint was filed against him by his wife. There appears to have been “no follow-up by the victim” in the case, Russell County sheriff Heath Taylor told reporters on Friday. |
| He was denied a permit to carry a concealed weapon in the state, following the domestic violence complaint and an arson arrest in the early 1990s. “We believe that he was being seen in 08 and 09 for mental illness here,” Taylor said. “We had no idea about that mental illness record, medical record.” | He was denied a permit to carry a concealed weapon in the state, following the domestic violence complaint and an arson arrest in the early 1990s. “We believe that he was being seen in 08 and 09 for mental illness here,” Taylor said. “We had no idea about that mental illness record, medical record.” |
| Local journalists in Alabama reported that in 1998 Houser ran for public office, as a candidate for tax commissioner in Muscogee County. This has not been confirmed independently by the Guardian. Columbus is the seat of Muscogee County. | Local journalists in Alabama reported that in 1998 Houser ran for public office, as a candidate for tax commissioner in Muscogee County. This has not been confirmed independently by the Guardian. Columbus is the seat of Muscogee County. |
| Authorities in Louisiana, meanwhile, were looking into reports by the Associated Press that in 2008 Houser’s wife and other family members filed a protective order against him. | Authorities in Louisiana, meanwhile, were looking into reports by the Associated Press that in 2008 Houser’s wife and other family members filed a protective order against him. |
| The court documents, the AP reported, show that Houser “exhibited extreme erratic behavior and has made ominous as well as disturbing statements”. The documents said Houser had driven an hour and a half north from Phenix City to Carroll County, Georgia, and there “perpetrated various acts of family violence”. | The court documents, the AP reported, show that Houser “exhibited extreme erratic behavior and has made ominous as well as disturbing statements”. The documents said Houser had driven an hour and a half north from Phenix City to Carroll County, Georgia, and there “perpetrated various acts of family violence”. |
| Houser had “a history of mental health issues, ie manic depression and/or bipolar disorder”, the AP reported the documents as saying, adding that Houser’s wife, Kellie Maddox Houser, had “become so worried about the defendant’s volatile mental state that she has removed all guns and/or weapons from their marital residence”. | Houser had “a history of mental health issues, ie manic depression and/or bipolar disorder”, the AP reported the documents as saying, adding that Houser’s wife, Kellie Maddox Houser, had “become so worried about the defendant’s volatile mental state that she has removed all guns and/or weapons from their marital residence”. |
| Maddox Houser filed for divorce, the AP reported, after a protective order against Houser was at least temporarily granted. | Maddox Houser filed for divorce, the AP reported, after a protective order against Houser was at least temporarily granted. |
| Authorities in Louisiana said they were still attempting to substantiate the events in the 2008 filings. “Just because it is written there – did it happen?” Edmonson said. | Authorities in Louisiana said they were still attempting to substantiate the events in the 2008 filings. “Just because it is written there – did it happen?” Edmonson said. |
| At Houser’s last residence in Phenix City, Alabama, owners told the local newspaper the Ledger-Enquirer that he left a booby-trapped mess after they were forced to evict him when they bought the home out of foreclosure. | At Houser’s last residence in Phenix City, Alabama, owners told the local newspaper the Ledger-Enquirer that he left a booby-trapped mess after they were forced to evict him when they bought the home out of foreclosure. |
| “We walked in, up the driveway, paint everywhere – that was just the start of it,” Beth Bone told the Ledger-Enquirer, standing with her father Norman. “Walked in the house, paper, paint, feces – he had fish in the pool in the backyard, 300 coy fish, he cut ‘em up, spread ‘em all over the place.” Houser had allegedly poured cement down all the drains of the wreaking house, the Bones said. | “We walked in, up the driveway, paint everywhere – that was just the start of it,” Beth Bone told the Ledger-Enquirer, standing with her father Norman. “Walked in the house, paper, paint, feces – he had fish in the pool in the backyard, 300 coy fish, he cut ‘em up, spread ‘em all over the place.” Houser had allegedly poured cement down all the drains of the wreaking house, the Bones said. |
| The Ledger-Enquirer also reported that Houser was the son of Rembert Houser, a long-time tax commissioner in Muscogee county. | The Ledger-Enquirer also reported that Houser was the son of Rembert Houser, a long-time tax commissioner in Muscogee county. |
| Phenix appears to be Houser’s last permanent address, but he had been in Lafayette, a city of 124,000 roughly 500 miles west, for long enough to make an impression on local business owners. | Phenix appears to be Houser’s last permanent address, but he had been in Lafayette, a city of 124,000 roughly 500 miles west, for long enough to make an impression on local business owners. |
| Craft, the police chief, told reporters on Friday some business owners had called police to report interactions, but said they had reported “nothing that alerted anyone to think maybe we want to call law enforcement about this fella”. | Craft, the police chief, told reporters on Friday some business owners had called police to report interactions, but said they had reported “nothing that alerted anyone to think maybe we want to call law enforcement about this fella”. |
| Meanwhile, authorities were trying to piece together a trail of online statements made under Houser’s name and his nickname, “Rusty”. A profile on Tea Party Nation bore his name and where he was believed to have last lived, in Phenix City, but no posts. | Meanwhile, authorities were trying to piece together a trail of online statements made under Houser’s name and his nickname, “Rusty”. A profile on Tea Party Nation bore his name and where he was believed to have last lived, in Phenix City, but no posts. |
| A user named Rusty Houser of Phenix City, Alabama, commented on a thread on PoliticalForum.com: “Any meaningful change in the US will have to be backed up with guns. Those who have been on a free ride, those benefiting from race based hiring laws, those benefiting from race based lending laws, etc … will start burning , looting.” | A user named Rusty Houser of Phenix City, Alabama, commented on a thread on PoliticalForum.com: “Any meaningful change in the US will have to be backed up with guns. Those who have been on a free ride, those benefiting from race based hiring laws, those benefiting from race based lending laws, etc … will start burning , looting.” |
| The comment was in response to the topic: “How I would improve my own country.” | The comment was in response to the topic: “How I would improve my own country.” |
| The Southern Poverty Law Center, meanwhile, attributed to Houser other online posts expressing anti-government ideas and supporting far rightwing ideologies. | The Southern Poverty Law Center, meanwhile, attributed to Houser other online posts expressing anti-government ideas and supporting far rightwing ideologies. |
| In one such post, on a forum dedicated to the New York chapter of the far-right Greek party Golden Dawn (now removed), the SPLC said Houser commented on the “power of the lone wolf”. | In one such post, on a forum dedicated to the New York chapter of the far-right Greek party Golden Dawn (now removed), the SPLC said Houser commented on the “power of the lone wolf”. |
| “Do not mistake yourselves for one minute, the enemy sees all posted on this website,” the post read. “I do not want to discourage the last hope for the best, but you must realize the power of the lone wolf, is the power that come forth in ALL situations. Look within yourselves.” | “Do not mistake yourselves for one minute, the enemy sees all posted on this website,” the post read. “I do not want to discourage the last hope for the best, but you must realize the power of the lone wolf, is the power that come forth in ALL situations. Look within yourselves.” |
| Lauren Gambino contributed reporting from Lafayette, Louisiana | Lauren Gambino contributed reporting from Lafayette, Louisiana |