Three dead in US theatre shooting

A 58-year-old man killed two people and injured nine others inside a movie theatre in US' Louisiana state before he turned his gun on himself and took his own life, authorities said.

The incident took place on Thursday night at Grand Theatre 16 in Lafayette, a city of about 120,000 people.

As the lights dimmed for the screening of "Trainwreck", the gunman stood up and pulled out a handgun and began firing indiscriminately, CNN reported. At least 100 people were present for the screening.

"There is nothing to believe that there was any kind of motive," said Colonel Michael Edmonson of Louisiana State Police.

Authorities have the gunman's name but are withholding it.

"Whenever we hear about these senseless acts of violence, it makes us both furious and sad at the same time," said Louisiana Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal, from the scene of the shooting.

"This is an awful night for Lafayette, this is an awful night for Louisiana, this is an awful night for the United States. But we will get through this," Jindal, who is one of the 16 Republican presidential hopefuls, added.

The shooting occurred days after the conviction of James Holmes in the Aurora, Colorado, theatre shooting on July 19, 2012 that killed 12 people and injured 70 others.

On July 19, 2012, Holmes opened fire during a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" using an AR-15 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and at least one .40-caliber handgun. The rampage ended with the neuro-science student's arrest outside the theatre.