Lafayette Gunman Was Not Involuntarily Committed to Mental Ward

 The gunman who opened fire at a movie theater last week was not involuntarily committed to a hospital — a red flag that would have triggered local officials to report his mental health history to federal authorities.

Officials in Georgia clarified Monday that John "Rusty" Houser was never involuntarily committed in 2008 despite previous reports — a distinction that would have prevented him from buying the gun he used in the rampage.

According to the petition for a personal protection order, Houser's family says that on April 22, 2008, it petitioned a judge to involuntarily commit Houser because "he was a danger to himself and others."

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