A lone gunman opened fire inside a crowded movie theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Thursday evening, killing two people and injuring seven others before taking his own life, police said. The gunfire erupted during a 7 pm CDT (0000 GMT) showing of the film Trainwreck and took place almost three years to the day after a massacre at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado, that killed 12 people. Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft said two people died in the hail of bullets before the 58-year-old gunman killed himself with a handgun as officers responded to the scene shortly after 7:30 pm. Bystanders watch over the scene at a movie theatre where a man opened fire on film goers in Lafayette, Louisiana

Seven people suffered injuries ranging from non life-threatening to critical, Craft said. Authorities said they know the shooter's identity but were not releasing his name during the early stage of the investigation.

Authorities searched cars in the parking lot of the theatre on a main thoroughfare and dispatched officers to other theatres in Lafayette and descended on the gunman's home.

But investigators offered no immediate motive and the gunman's body remained inside the theatre several hours later. None of the victims were immediately identified by authorities.

Witness Katie Domingue told the local Advertiser newspaper that the gunman stood up in the theatre and began shooting about 20 minutes into the movie.Seven people suffered injuries ranging from non life-threatening to critical, Craft said. Authorities said they know the shooter's identity but were not releasing his name during the early stage of the investigation.

Authorities searched cars in the parking lot of the theatre on a main thoroughfare and dispatched officers to other theatres in Lafayette and descended on the gunman's home.

But investigators offered no immediate motive and the gunman's body remained inside the theatre several hours later. None of the victims were immediately identified by authorities.

Witness Katie Domingue told the local Advertiser newspaper that the gunman stood up in the theatre and began shooting about 20 minutes into the movie.

FBI officials enter a building near the movie theatre

"He wasn't saying anything. I didn't hear anybody screaming either," Domingue said.

Keifer Sanders told CNN that some 100 people were in the theatre when the gunman opened fire.

Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal traveled to Lafayette, a city of about 120,000 people roughly 90 km southwest of Baton Rouge.

"As governor, as a father and as a husband, whenever we hear about these senseless acts of violence it makes us both furious and sad at the same time," he said at a briefing.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (C) prepares for a news conference outside the movie theatre