October 13, 2009, Muncie Indiana (StarPress) - The young military veteran who shot and killed himself in a Muncie movie theater late Monday has been identified as Jacob W. Sexton, 21, of Farmland. Sexton was on leave from serving in the Afghanistan war, but was set to return, according to the coroner's office. Sexton was in the movie theater with three companions, two of them his brothers, watching "Zombieland."

City police Sgt. Mike Engle said the shooting took place about 20 minutes into a late-night showing of the motion picture, a Woody Harrelson comedy with a horror theme, at the Kerasotes Showplace 12, 800 E. Princeton Ave.

Police were called to the theater about 10:30 p.m.

In addition to the shooting victim, his two brothers and a friend, about eight other people were in the theater at the time, the police sergeant said.

Witnesses reported hearing a loud pop, then were further startled to hear the victim's companions scream over what they had just witnessed, with one of the young men beating on a wall in anguish.

Sexton died of a gunshot wound in the head. No one else was injured, according to police.

Engle said one of the other men was the owner of the handgun involved, and had handed it to the shooting victim, at his request, just before the fatal shot was fired.

Police believe at least three of the young men, including Sexton had been drinking before going to the theater.

Sexton had argued with theater employees after being asked to produce an ID to view the R-rated movie, saying he had killed 18 people in the service of his country, witnesses told police.

Investigators were able to interview nearly nearly all of the other theater patrons who were viewing the movie at the time of the shooting, Engle said about 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Monday's incident came only three days after the Friday night arrest of an Iraq War veteran from Lynn who allegedly fired a shotgun at Randolph County sheriff's deputies. Those officers were not wounded.