Judd Apatow devastated over Trainwreck shooting

Moviemaker Judd Apatow has told of his devastation after a crazed gunman opened fire during a screening of the director's new comedy Trainwreck in Louisiana on Thursday (23Jul15), leaving three dead and nine injured.

Apatow released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter after John Russell Houser shot two women dead at the Grand Theater in Lafayette before turning the gun on himself.

The director urged his fellow Americans to find a way to stamp out gun rampages, saying, "One of the reasons we make these movies is because the world can be so horrifying and we all need to laugh just to deal with it. So to have this happen in a room where people were smiling and laughing devastates me. My thoughts and love go out to the victims and anyone touched by this madness or any madness. We, as a country, need to find a way to do better."

Comedian Amy Schumer, who stars in Trainwreck, tweeted on Thursday (23Jul15) after the shooting, "My heart is broken and all my thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Louisiana."

Film studio Universal also released a statement, sending "heartfelt sympathies to the victims of this senseless tragedy and their families in Louisiana".