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The man alleged to have shot up a movie theater in Lafayette, La., has been identified as John Russel "Rusty" Houser, a former political candidate and activist here in Columbus. Columbus police confirm that federal authorities have contacted them about tracking Houser's background. Houser is the son of the late Rembert Houser, a longtime city tax commissioner. Rusty Houser had a history here of political activism, fighting taxes and at one point running for office. [....] According to the Associated Press, 2008 court records show Houser's family sought protective orders because he "exhibited extreme erratic behavior and has made ominous...

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- The family of the man who killed four Marines and a sailor in Chattanooga said in a statement that their son suffered from depression and was not the person they knew. "There are no words to describe our shock, horror, and grief," said the statement, provided Saturday to the Associated Press by a lawyer representing the family of Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez. "The person who committed this horrible crime was not the son we knew and loved. For many years, our son suffered from depression. It grieves us beyond belief to know that his pain found its...

A gunman who killed two schoolteachers and wounded nine others last night at a Louisiana movie theater reportedly had a history of mental illness and aggression. John Russell Houser, who also shot and killed himself at the screening of the film Trainwreck, had a certain fondness for Adolf Hitler, as well. “Hitler is loved for the results of his pragmatism,” the 58-year-old wrote last year on a stateofmind13.com message board. “There is no question of his being the most successful that ever lived. At this time the US is no more than a financially failing filth farm. Soon the phrase...

LAFAYETTE, La. — The man who killed two people and wounded nine others at a movie theater was so mentally ill and violent that years ago, his wife hid his guns and his family had him hospitalized against his will before obtaining a court order to keep him away. John Russel Houser, 59, stood up about 20 minutes into the "Trainwreck" movie and fired first at two people sitting in front of him, then aimed his handgun at others. Police said Friday they found 13 shell casings.

Filing shows she moved all weapons from their marital residenceThe wife of Louisiana shooter John Russel Houser sought a protective order against him in 2008 after he "exhibited extreme erratic behavior" and "made ominous as well as disturbing statements," according to court documents cited by the AP. The filing for the order, which was at least temporarily granted, says that his wife, Kellie Maddox Houser, had "become so worried about the defendant's volatile mental state that she … removed all guns and/or weapons from their marital residence." The papers also noted John Houser had "a history of mental health issues,...

Washington: Indian-American Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal has called for a prayer for the victims of the shooting at a movie theatre in his state that killed three people, including the shooter. The gunman, according to the police, was a 58-year-old white man who opened fire from his weapon at a movie theatre in Louisiana on Thursday evening. Later he shot himself, the Lafayette City Police chief Jim Craft told reporters. Jindal, who has been busy in his presidential campaign most of the week rushed to the scene to personally lead the post-shooting effort. "I'm on my way to Lafayette right...

The man identified as killing two people and wounding nine more in last night's shooting is John Russell Houser, 59, of Alabama. He spent time in an East Alabama Mental Health Facility from 2008 to 2009, Russell County, Ga., Sheriff Heath Taylor tells KATC. They're unsure what he was treated for, but will hold a press conference this afternoon to release information about him. Houser was previously arrested for arson in Columbus, Georgia, but Taylor was unsure when that arrest happened. It may have been decades ago. Houser was evicted from his Phenix City, Ala., home in March 2014, Taylor...

The gunman who opened fire inside a packed movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, Thursday night, was John Russel Houser, police said at a news conference this morning. Houser, 59, is among three people who died, police said. Nine others were injured.

Two people were killed and at least six others were injured in a shooting Thursday night at a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, authorities told NBC News.

Theater shooting here in Lafayette, LA tonight. Three confirmed dead so far.

DEVELOPING: A gunman killed two people and injured seven others late Thursday when he opened fire in a Lafayette, La. movie theater before turning the gun on himself, the city's police chief said. Police Chief Jim Craft told a news conference that authorities had identified the gunman as a 58-year-old white man, but did not release his name, citing an ongoing background check. The chief added that the conditions of the injured victims ranged from critical to non-life-threatening. City Marshal Brian Pope told The Daily Advertiser that the gunman opened fire at the Grand 16 Theatre in Lafayette, approximately 40...

The movie theater shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana occurred in yet another place that banned permitted concealed handguns. The shooting occurred at the Grand Theater. It’s “conduct policy” openly bans the carrying of guns, just like where the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting occurred. While The Grand Theatre company owns three theaters in the area, none of the other local movie theaters that are owned by other companies appear to have a similar policy (Lafitte Cinema 4, Crowley Cinema IV, The Queen Cinema). . . .

Victims, gunman identified in Grand 16 shooting The victims who died in last night's shooting at The Grand 16 have been identified as 21-year-old Mayci Breaux of Franklin and 33-year-old Jillian Johnson of Lafayette. The shooter, who shot himself in the theater, has been identified as 58-year-old John Houser of Alabama. Police say he was a "drifter" who had been in the Lafayette area since early July. He fired 13 rounds into the theater during the 7 p.m. showing of "Trainwreck." One of the victims and the gunman died at the scene. A second victim died at an area hospital....