9 years later: The Grand 16 movie theater shooting in Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)-- On July 23, nine years ago, three people were killed, including the shooter, and several were injured as a result of a mass shooting that happened at the Grand 16 movie theater in Lafayette.
The deadly tragedy occurred during a showing of the movie "Trainwreck" in 2015, where the shooter, identified as 59-year-old John Russell Houser, fired a handgun 13 times inside the theater, killing two people and wounding nine others before fatally shooting himself after he attempted to leave the scene.
The two victims who died as a result of the shooting were identified as 33-year-old Jillian Johnson of Lafayette, who was a visual and musical artist with her own gift shop, and 21-year-old Mayci Breaux of Franklin, who was a student at LSUE.
Authorities mentioned the gunman previously lived in Alabama but had been in the Lafayette area since early July. Police and court records revealed the gunman had been arrested and ticketed for several offenses in the past, ranging from arson to speeding.
After the devastating shooting that frightened Lafayette, people around the city started making efforts towards healing and providing support, thus birthing the rally cry "Lafayette Strong."
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