A gunman opened fire Thursday evening at a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana killing three people, including himself.

The shooting broke out during a showing of the film Trainwreck at the Grand Theatre and the gunman, who is a 58-years-old white male, was in the audience prior to opening fire.

Seven additional victims were shot and taken to three hospitals.

The injuries of these victims range from critical to non-life threatening, and their ages from late teens to 60s.

President Obama meanwhile had just given an interview on gun control to the BBC hours earlier expressing how 'frustrated' he was that the country does not have 'common-sense gun safety laws, even in the face of repeated mass killings.'

KLFY reports that a female victim is among those who lost their life.

It is being reported there were approximately 100 people in the audience and that the shooter used a handgun.

Police say they do not know if the shooting was a random act or domestic situation, and that the gunman does have a criminal history but nothing that happened in recent years.

The shooter's car has been identified in the parking lot of the theater and the area has been evacuated as the bomb squad checks on a suspicious package, sending in a robot.

The FBI is also on the scene and both they and local police are interviewing witnesses.

Governor Bobby Jindal said that it was a teacher who pulled the fire alarm to empty the theater, this after she jumped in front of a bullet to protect a fellow teacher during the shooting.

'Her friend literally jumped over her, and in her account actually saved her life,' said Jindal.

'If she hadn't done that ... that bullet, she believed it would have hit her in the head.

'Both teachers ended up shot. The second one, the one whose life was saved, even though she was shot in the leg, she had the presence of mind to pull the fire alarm to help save other lives.'

One of those teachers remains in the hospital, while the other has been released.

In his interview with the BBC, President Obama pointed out that less than 100 people have died as a result of terrorist acts since September 11, 2001, but tens of thousands have been killed as a result of guns.

He ended that interview by saying; 'For us not to be able to resolve that issue has been something that is distressing but it is not something that I intend to stop working on in the remaining 18 months.'

Louisiana allows the open carry of firearms with very few restrictions and the concealed carry of handguns is allowed as long as an individual has a permit.

The Grand Theatre reportedly had a no gun policy which was posted on signs inside the facility.

Katie Domingue, who was at the 7pm showing of the film, said the incident occurred about 20 minutes into the film and that the shooter was an 'older white man.'

'We heard a loud pop we thought was a firecracker,' she said.

'He wasn't saying anything. I didn't hear anybody screaming either.'

'A whole bunch of girls started screaming and we heard that someone was shot,' Roxy Martinez told CNN.

'There were a lot of people running.'

Robert Martinez, who was with her, added; 'I see a lady full of blood in a dress. She was just looking at me in complete fear.'

Amy Schumer, the star and writer of the film Trainwreck wrote on Twitter; 'My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana.'

The shooting has drawn comparisons to the 2012 Aurora shooting in Colorado in which James Holmes walked into a theater and killed 12 and injured 70 after opening fire.

He was recently convicted on 24 counts of first-degree murder in that rampage, which occurred shortly after midnight on July 20 - almost three years ago to the day of Thursday's shooting.

He is currently in the sentencing phase of his trial.

Sandy Phillips, whose daughter was killed in the Aurora shooting, wrote on Thursday; 'Theater shooting in Louisiana. Numbers of injured unknown. Here we go again America. THIS is freedom?'

She then added that she was having 'PTSD' after learning of the shooting.

'It was a typical Thursday night in our community until this happened,' Lafayette Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley told CBS.

'The best thing anybody can do right now is to think about them, pray for them, shower them with your love is the most important thing we will get through this,' said Governor Jindal.

'We will get through this. We are a resilient community. This is an awful night for Lafayette. This is an awful night for Louisiana. This is an awful night for the United States.'

Jindal arrived on the scene with members of his staff at around 9:30pm local time.

US Rep. Charles Boustany said in a statement; 'I'm saddened at the terrible loss of life represented in tonight's tragic shooting at a movie theater in my hometown of Lafayette.

'Bridget and I are praying for the families and friends of the victims at this difficult time.

'I will work with the Lafayette Police Department, local, state, and federal officials to get to the bottom of what happened tonight.'

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy wrote on Twitter; 'Please join Laura and I in praying for those in Lafayette right now.'

Donald Trump also commented on Twitter, saying; 'Thoughts & prayers with everyone in Lafayette, Louisiana this evening.'