Amy Schumer Says Her “Heart Is Broken” After Gunman Opens Fire At ‘Trainwreck’ Screening In Louisiana

by Olivia Truffaut-WongJuly 24, 2015, 3:52 pmNews, News Feed >

Amy Schumer said her “heart is broken” after a gunman opened fire during a Louisiana screening of Trainwreck on Thursday night, killing three, including himself, and injuring nine.

Gunman Kills 2, Injures 9 At Trainwreck Screening

The shooting took place in Lafayette, La., Thursday night, during a crowded screening of Schumer’s new comedy Trainwreck. The gunman, identified as John Russell Houser, 58, opened fire on the theater before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life. Houser died at the scene, along with one of his victims, Mayci Breaux, 21, a student at Louisiana State University Eunice. The other fatal victim, Jilian Johnson, 33, was an entrepreneur who co-owned a gift boutique with her husband, Jason Brown. Nine others were reportedly taken to the hospital for injuries, and one remains in critical condition.

Schumer, who wrote and starred in Trainwreck, offered her condolences via Twitter Thursday night after news of the shooting broke. “My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana,” the comedian wrote on Twitter.

Little is known about the shooter, but police described Houser as “a drifter” who had been living in a local motel since early July. Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft revealed at a press conference that a search of Houser’s hotel room resulted in the finding of “wigs and disguises,” suggesting that Houser had intended to escape after the shooting. In fact, Craft revealed that Houser had attempted to escape from the theater after the shooting, and then shot himself when he was confronted by two police officers, who had been called to the scene around 7:30 p.m. local time.

“The quick law enforcement response pushed him back into the theater, at which point he shot himself,” Craft said.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal arrived on the scene Thursday night and highlighted the work of the first responders, saying, “I want to praise the first responders … They ran towards the shots fired, they ran towards the danger, not away.… This is an awful night for Lafayette, an awful night for Louisiana, and an awful night for America.”

Police have not yet identified a motive in the shooting, but they did reveal that Houser used “one .40-caliber handgun,” from which he fired at least 13 rounds. They have also not found any evidence to suggest Houser was working with an accomplice.

Hollywood Reacts To Louisiana Shooting

The shooting comes just one week after James Holmes was found guilty of killing 12 in the Colorado movie theater massacre of 2012 that occurred during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises. The film industry is clearly shaken by this most recent shooting, and President and CEO of the American Film Institute, Bob Gazzale, released a statement urging audiences to come together during this difficult time.

“Going to a summer movie is a celebration of the American creative spirit and one of our nation’s most beloved pastimes. Let us stand together in these times of tragedy and embrace what is precious to us – churches, schools and places where the arts can send our spirits soaring. As a national community of artists and audiences, AFI offers our heartfelt sympathies to the victims in Louisiana and their families,” Gazzale said.

Hollywood celebrities have also expressed their sadness on Twitter.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.