Lafayette police said the shooting occurred at the Grand Theatre 16 on Johnston Street about 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. ET). Witnesses described hearing about six shots in a screening of the movie "Trainwreck."
"We believe the scene is safe at this time," Sgt. Kyle Suarez told NBC News.
Police said two people plus the gunman were dead. Seven other people were injured, Acadian Ambulance Service told.
Katie Domingue, who was in the theater, told The Daily Advertiser newspaper that "an older white man" began shooting about 20 minutes into the movie.
"He wasn`t saying anything," Domingue said. "I didn`t hear anybody screaming, either."
Keifer Sanders told MSNBC TV that he was in another theater when "the screen went black," alarms sounded and the audience was shepherded out the emergency exit.
Louisiana State Police, University of Louisiana-Lafayette police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting local police. Police were deployed to other theaters in Lafayette as a precaution, Craft said.
"I know a lot of us are horrified and shocked," said Gov. Bobby Jindal, who quickly went to Lafayette. "I think I speak for every mom and dad who just wants to hug their kids."
Jindal added: "This is an awful night for Lafayette. This is an awful night for Louisiana. This is an awful night for the United States."
"Trainwreck" is a romantic comedy starring Amy Schumer, who tweeted:
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