Gunman in Louisiana killed 2 others and himself and injured 9 people http://t.co/I9bzHOrx4n pic.twitter.com/i1YHRsWRXY
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) July 24, 2015
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Sadly I’m forced to report on another deadly shooting. Not something I enjoy doing, but if I must tell the horrific details of a tragedy, I like to highlight any uplifting angle that may give you hope instead of dwelling on the disturbing individuals that caused all of the destruction to begin with.
The alleged killer in the theater shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana was identified as John Russel Houser, a 59-year-old “drifter” from Phenix City, Alabama. This abominable scourge of society murdered two innocent people by firing 13 shots into the Grand 16 theater that had about 100 people in it. He tried to escape in his 1995 Lincoln Continental with phony license plates, but police were already at the theater, and that’s when this chickenshit took his own pathetic life.
Police later searched his room at a local Motel 6 where where he had apparently been staying for a few weeks, and they found wigs, glasses as well as other disguises.
But enough of this fucking coward, he doesn’t warrant our attention, the victims and these two brave teachers should be the story today.
He took away the life of Mayci Breaux, a 21-year-old from Franklin, Louisiana, who died at the bloody scene, and Jillian Johnson, a 33-year-old from Lafayette, who perished at the hospital.
Tributes being paid to #LafayetteShooting victims Mayci Breaux and Jillian Johnson – they sound like wonderful people http://t.co/ZQWh2Ifqg9
— Lizzie Dearden (@lizziedearden) July 24, 2015
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Nine people were injured during the gutless attack of a packed movie theater of harmless individuals enjoying a showing of Trainwreck. They range in age from their late teens to their 60s, including one who remains in critical condition in the theater.
Teachers Jena Meaux and Ali Martin went to the 7 p.m. showing of the Amy Schumer comedy. About 20 minutes into the movie, shots rang out into the cinema. When the crazed gunman pointed his weapon towards Ali, Jena instinctively threw herself on top of her friend, courageously shielding her from bullets.
Despite the gunman still in the building, Ali risked her life and bravely ran to the edge of the theater to pull the fire alarm, to evacuate the building and prevent further death. Both women were shot in the leg by the handgun-wielding maniac.
During a press conference late Thursday night, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal praised the heroism of the two teachers. “Her friend literally jumped over her, and in her account actually saved her life,” Jindal said. “If she hadn’t done that … that bullet, she believed it would have hit her in the head.”
“Even though she was shot in the leg, she had the presence of mind to pull the fire alarm to help save other lives,” The governor commended Martin. “A lot of folks in that situation would just be thinking about themselves.”
“I want to praise the law enforcers who ran toward danger,” Jindal said. “This is a time for us to come together. What we can do now is pray. We can hug these families, shower them with love, thoughts and prayers.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up by the Iberia Association of Educators and the Louisiana Association of Educators to raise money to pay the medical bills of the two brave teachers. In six hours since it was started, it has raised more than $4,000 of its $10,000 target. You can make a donation here.
While these atrocious acts of violence always test your faith in humanity, heroic people like Jena Meaux and Ali Martin help restore it.