Hollywood has reacted with horror to the killing of two people by a lone gunman at a screening of Amy Schumer comedy Trainwreck in the US.
Schumer described her heart as “broken” following the shooting at a Louisiana cinema, which comes one week after James Holmes was found guilty of the first-degree murder of 12 people during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado in 2012.
My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana.
— Amy Schumer (@amyschumer) July 24, 2015
The killer, described by police as a lone white gunman aged 58, also injured a further nine people after opening fire with a semi-automatic handgun at a crowded cinema in Lafayette, Louisiana. He then turned the weapon on himself.
Bob Gazzale, president and CEO of the American Film Institute, expressed horror that another shooting had taken place in a cinema, where people had gone to be entertained by film.
He said: “Going to a summer movie is a celebration of the American creative spirit and one of our nation’s most beloved pastimes. Let us stand together in these times of tragedy and embrace what is precious to us — churches, schools and places where the arts can send our spirits soaring. As a national community of artists and audiences, AFI offers our heartfelt sympathies to the victims in Louisiana and their families.”
From @AmericanFilm. #Lafayette pic.twitter.com/d0E0Wskrzg
— Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) July 24, 2015
James Bond star Jeffrey Wright was keen to highlight the pro-gun views of Republican Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, who has focused attention on two “heroic” teachers who saved lives by raising the alarm and reportedly diving in front of the killer.
#Lafayette, #Chattanooga, #Charleston. Heartbreaking...too much. Too many guns too easily gotten by psychos.
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) July 24, 2015
Bobby Jindal on the scene in #Lafayette attempting "Presidential," proclaiming "evil" & calling for prayer...but never tougher gun laws.
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) July 24, 2015
Mulan actor Ming-Na Wen was among Hollywood stars to express disbelief that another attack had taken place as people had come together to be entertained.
Prayers 4 victims/folks in #Lafayette shooting. My fam & I were just in a theatre 2nite. Do we have 2 wear bulletproof vests 2C movie now?
— Ming-Na Wen (@MingNa) July 24, 2015
Wendell Pierce, best known for Selma and The Wire, said Americans had a duty to consider their own contributions to ending the violence.
Just getting in from work to hear of the mass shooting in my home state of Louisiana. The culture of violence in America continues.
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) July 24, 2015
Charleston, Chattanooga,Lafayette, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta. Black, White, Terrorists, Racist, Police,& Criminals. Culture of Violence
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) July 24, 2015
We are all complicit in this dysfunctional paradigm. Examine how we can change the paradigm. What are our individual contributions to this.
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) July 24, 2015
The culture of violence is not new. Our country was built on a culture of violence. We have to consciously decide to change.
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) July 24, 2015
Patton Oswalt, the comic and actor best known for Pixar’s Ratatouille and his award-winning supporting turn in Jason Reitman’s Young Adult, called for media outlets to avoid extensive reporting of the unnamed killer’s background.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spotlight the victims the helpers the EMTs IGNORE THE SHOOTER treat him like the insect he is PLEASE #Louisiana
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) July 24, 2015
Writer and director Kevin Smith also shared his shock over the shooting.
Terrible news out of LAFAYETTE: gunman opens fire in movie theater. http://t.co/BN2bbZPjtm 2 people died because they wanted to see a movie.
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) July 24, 2015
One key difference between the Louisiana shooting and the one which took place three years ago in Aurora is that Holmes, who faces the death penalty, appeared to have specifically targeted the midnight preview screening of The Dark Knight Rises. Reports at the time suggested the gunman, who sported dyed red hair, told arresting police he was the Joker. The killings prompted fresh debate on the role of movie violence in gun killings, with even liberal film-makers such as Harvey Weinstein suggesting it was time to stop making films that glorified firearms.
