Shooting at my local theater here in Lafayette, LA

I live in beautiful Lafayette, LA, what's known as "The Hub City," the heart of "Cajun Country."

We don't ride alligators to work or eat snakes and live in swamps as Adam Sandler and Swamp People would have you believe. Nor do we have the "redneck" accents that belong to the Duck Dynasty folk, who live in northern LA. Lafayette is a beautiful city, filled with a unique culture that blends cultures from around the world but which has its roots in French and European culture.

Our people aren't just friendly here, we go out of our way to help others, even strangers, and are known for our hospitality and love of life, which not only includes great food and festivals, but also the arts and humanities.

Lafayette was named [URL="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/us-unhappiest-cities_n_5606503.html"]"Happiest City in the US"[/URL] last year, which surprised everyone but those of us who live here.

I mention all of this because the pride we have in our home blinded us to the reality that we are not immune from the senseless violence that has so deeply affected Aurora, Co and other places. [URL="http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/23/us/louisiana-theater-shooting/"]Earlier tonight, a gunman opened fire[/URL] in one of the auditoriums at The Grand 16 and shot eight people before turning the gun on himself. One victim has died and 7 others are being treated in area hospitals. Police and hazmat crews are working to clear the theater complex and a nearby apartment complex of suspected explosive devices.

I mention this here because I needed an outlet and because this theater is special to me. Without fail, I show up hours in advance of the premiere showing of big superhero and genre films. Myself and two of my dear friends attended the Ant-Man premiere last week at this very theater. We're in shock that this has happened here and that, had the whims of the gunman been different, we might have been injured or killed ourselves.

No motives or further details or known at this time, but we are a community in shock. News has already spread throughout various media, and I know that our part of the country/world is often misunderstood and mocked for various reasons. I thought that sharing this tonight might help to put a face, albeit a digital one, on Lafayette, LA, a proud and wonderful Southern town in the heart of Cajun Country.

Thank you for reading and if you are the praying kind, please offer some for those who died and were injured tonight, as well as their loved ones. Also please pray for the gunman, who was clearly plagued by an inner darkness so unknowable to anyone else that it finally spilled out and swallowed up the lives and well-being of others.

-Chris

I'm sorry you're having to go through this. I'm in CO and although I'm not in Aurora, the shooting there 3 years ago really hit home. It was just a terrible thing to know all that was happening not that far away and all these people were suffering whom just wanted to go see a damned movie and have a good time. For you I'm sure its doubly such since this happened in a place you actually frequent. I'm sorry this man tried to destroy the sense of wonder there. I have a good feeling your town won't let it. Glad you're safe, and thoughts go out to the deceased and the injured.

I'm so sorry for the loss of life, the loss of peace, and the loss of not having to second guess your safety. I know a few people from Lafayette, my parents even lived there briefly before I was born. Your post was beautifully written and I will be sending thoughts and prayers for the healing of your community. Such a tragic, senseless freaking thing.

You have my sympathies, Xon-Ur. When horrors like this happen, either in small towns or big cities, the feeling of peace is shattered, and it can be very hard to recover. People should NEVER have to worry about their safety when doing fun activities like going to the movies, and I hope that won't affect you in the long run. Be well, stay well.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and everyone affected by this tragedy
If you need someone to talk to, i'm always here for you

I just saw this on the news. Scary. It's kinda weird it happened just days after Holmes was convicted in the shooting deaths of the Aurora Colorado theater.

[url]http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/07/24/gunman-la-theater-kills-2-then-himself/30609621/[/url]
[QUOTE] Investigators say a 58-year-old man opened fire at the Grand Theater in Lafayette, Louisiana during a showing of 'Trainwreck.' Three people are dead, including the gunman. Nine people are hospitalized with a range of injuries.

A gunman described as white and middle aged stood up during a packed screening of the movie "Trainwreck" Thursday evening in Lafayette, La., and opened fire, killing two people and injuring at least nine others before killing himself as police moved in, authorities said.

The victims range in age from their late teens to their 60s, Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft said.

Authorities know the identity of the 58-year-old alleged gunman, but were not yet releasing it, said Sgt. Brooks David of the Louisiana State Police. The man did have a criminal record, but it was "pretty old," said Craft.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=PretenderNX01;1377849]I just saw this on the news. Scary. It's kinda weird it happened just days after Holmes was convicted in the shooting deaths of the Aurora Colorado theater.

[url]http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/07/24/gunman-la-theater-kills-2-then-himself/30609621/[/url][/QUOTE]
he was a white supremacist conspiracy fuck that hailed the idea of the lone wolf.

Thanks for the support and understanding, everyone. I really appreciate it.

Before it was revealed that this guy was a white supremacist, I wondered if this had to do with race. Of course, at the end of the day, this man was mentally ill and his racist views weren't the only factor that led to this.

I'm at the point now that I want to see enhanced security in theaters. There are metal detectors in stadiums and airports, why not use them in cineplexes? This guy went to one auditorium and could have killed/injured even more people had he not turned the gun on himself when he heard the police had arrived.

I have every intention of continuing to go to the movies and going to movies at that theater. It's always been a special place for me and for a lot of people here in Lafayette. It's our biggest theater and it's located in the center of town. That said, I am shocked theater chains haven't upped security protocols after Aurora. I'm not talking about frisking or bag searches, but metal detectors would go a long way to preventing this from happening. I'd also like to see plainclothes police on duty in each theater.

The worst thing now is that we've got these Westboro hate-mongering assholes coming to protest the funerals of two young women. I'm a Christian, and these people dare call themselves the same but with no inkling of what it means to be a Christian. The outpouring of true love and support from people in our community and beyond has been wonderful and restores my faith in humanity.

Thanks again for the support.

So sorry to hear this Xon.

Hope all this well with you and yours during this very scary time.

Turns out this guy was actually a GamerGater/MRA-type who hated women and thought they shouldn't have any rights. That's likely why he picked the Amy Schumer movie "Trainwreck" to shoot up and why he only killed women.

[url]http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/07/24/louisiana_shooter_feminism_talk_radio_amy_schumer_movie_was_attacked_by.html[/url]

Some people take the right wing's war on women quite literally.

I think what's bugging me most about incidents like this (other than the fact that people are getting killed) is that we're getting to point where armed security seems like a good idea. That doesn't sit well with me. After Sandy Hook, people were actually talking about having drills in case something like that happened again.

That seems wrong to me.

The ONLY thing kids going to middle school should be worrying about is getting their homework done on time or getting the last piece of dessert in the cafeteria. The possibility that some crazy fucker with an automatic weapon will come in and shoot the place up should only happen in the movies.

Same thing with movie theaters. The ONLY thing people she be concerned about is whether the movie sucks or not--not go in worrying whether you're gonna be in a shootout because some nut with a gun is talking to God on a two way radio.

[QUOTE=Copper;1380292]I think what's bugging me most about incidents like this (other than the fact that people are getting killed) is that we're getting to point where armed security seems like a good idea. That doesn't sit well with me. After Sandy Hook, people were actually talking about having drills in case something like that happened again.

That seems wrong to me.

The ONLY thing kids going to middle school should be worrying about is getting their homework done on time or getting the last piece of dessert in the cafeteria. The possibility that some crazy fucker with an automatic weapon will come in and shoot the place up should only happen in the movies.

Same thing with movie theaters. The ONLY thing people she be concerned about is whether the movie sucks or not--not go in worrying whether you're gonna be in a shootout because some nut with a gun is talking to God on a two way radio.[/QUOTE]

I agree. And I think that would be an overreaction. These things don't happen enough to militarize movie theaters.

there are plenty of schools that already have security, metal detectors and intrusive (and abusive) cops on site.

Just read about this on ED, did this guy really do this because of a bad comedy?

I know it's a bit late but my thoughts and prayers are with you and everyone affected by this tragedy.