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John Russell "Rusty" Houser was identified as the gunman who attacked movie theater-goers in Louisiana, killing at least 2 people before committing suicide. was identified as the gunman who attacked movie theater-goers in Louisiana, killing at least two people and injuring nine others before committing suicide. A witness said the shooter opened fire about 20 minutes into a screening of the new movie Trainwreck.
“We heard a loud pop we thought was a firecracker,” said Katie Domingue, who was in the theater watching Trainwreck with her fiance. “He wasn’t saying anything. I didn’t hear anybody screaming either.”
Police say he was acting alone.
The shooter committed suicide as four officers entered the theater. They did not fire at him or speak to him before he shot himself.
The shooting was contained to one room in the theater.
John Russell Houser, described as “kind of a drifter” by Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft, killed Mayci Breaux, 21, and Jillian Johnson, 33. The shooting happened at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Grand 16 Theatre during a screening of the movie Trainwreck.
Russell often went by the name Rusty Houser online. Police spelled his middle name as Russel, but according to his social media posts and public records, it is spelled Russell.