One dead in movie theater shooting in Florida

[Steinhauer]

The 43 year old man who was texting was asked to stop by the retired police officer. Words were exchanged (we don't know what was said). The retired police officer then left to go and complain, and returned to his seat. When he returned to his seat, the 43 year old man stood up and asked him if he went and complained, then more words were exchanged (we still don't know what was said). Then popcorn was thrown, then the retired police officer shot the 43 year old man who was confronting him.

We don't know if the 43 year old was acting all macho. We don't know if the 43 year old was swearing. We don't know if the 43 year old was making threats. What we do know, is that the 43 year old was not shot for texting.

I guess the moral of the story here is, cell phones should be banned from movie theaters? Or, respect your elders?

 

[ChicagoBlue2]

The 43 year old man who was texting was asked to stop by the retired police officer. Words were exchanged (we don't know what was said). The retired police officer then left to go and complain, and returned to his seat. When he returned to his seat, the 43 year old man stood up and asked him if he went and complained, then more words were exchanged (we still don't know what was said). Then popcorn was thrown, then the retired police officer shot the 43 year old man who was confronting him.

We don't know if the 43 year old was acting all macho. We don't know if the 43 year old was swearing. We don't know if the 43 year old was making threats. What we do know, is that the 43 year old was not shot for texting.

I guess the moral of the story here is, cell phones should be banned from movie theaters? Or, respect your elders?

Cell phones do NOT belong in a movie theater whatsoever, nor do firearms or any other weapon. If you want to go all macho, do that in a place where it's legal, not where people want to enjoy a movie. Also, people SHOULD respect their elders, as well. If I ever go to a movie, I power down my phone, but leave it on for emergency purposes, and watch the movie. Simple as that.

 

[Calvin]

If it bothers you, if there is other seats available, you could always move to another seat so you won't get distracted by someone's phone. There will be rude people around, if it's me I'd find a manager... if it doesn't help, then I can move to other seat if available.

There's no excuse to shoot someone just because this person was texting.

 

[ChicagoBlue2]

If it bothers you, if there is other seats available, you could always move to another seat so you won't get distracted by someone's phone. There will be rude people around, if it's me I'd find a manager... if it doesn't help, then I can move to other seat if available.

There's no excuse to shoot someone just because this person was texting.

That's true, but if you really wanted to chat with the person, then don't do it in a place where an objection is likely to be raised. Killing someone was way too extreme, and uncalled for.

 

[femme Fatale]

LOL! Jess and I are making Tampa the cool place to be! J/K Though, be careful where you move in Tampa, more sketchy areas than good ones. I've considered moving to St. Pete, I spend enough time over there.... However, I'd hate to drive to school all the way in Tampa and my job is up here... So the distance keeps me here. Plus, lots of fun places because it's huge. Not that St. Pete isn't, but ya know. :P Why are you moving down here? What state are you coming from if you don't mind my asking? :P St. Pete's pride parade is HUGE and amazing, so that's another nice thing.

Darn right! :P We're not necessarily different from most major cities, although things have a tendency to be settled physically than by using firearms. The heat can get to some, but the fun is HOT baby! :P

But IMHO, those who carry concealed firearms should also be psychologically sound. If someone is carrying a lot of baggage, I don't care if they are an adult, it's like handing firearm to a 5 year old! (Oh s#!t, sounds familiar...).

 

[Mewtilation]

Yes, I know about where are bad parts of Tampa and St. Petersburg, but they are no worse than Detroit, Chicago, Birmingham, St. Louis and Baltimore.

I'm from Alabama and I'm moving to Florida because of closer to my family.

I think Central Florida (Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg) is different from southern states and Northern Florida, just less southern transparency.

Oh definitely different. I'm glad you'll be closer to your family, I'm sure you're excited!

 

[Mewtilation]

The 43 year old man who was texting was asked to stop by the retired police officer. Words were exchanged (we don't know what was said). The retired police officer then left to go and complain, and returned to his seat. When he returned to his seat, the 43 year old man stood up and asked him if he went and complained, then more words were exchanged (we still don't know what was said). Then popcorn was thrown, then the retired police officer shot the 43 year old man who was confronting him.

We don't know if the 43 year old was acting all macho. We don't know if the 43 year old was swearing. We don't know if the 43 year old was making threats. What we do know, is that the 43 year old was not shot for texting.

I guess the moral of the story here is, cell phones should be banned from movie theaters? Or, respect your elders?

Regardless of what was SAID.... Words are no reason to shoot someone. I support gun rights and all that stuff, however someone swearing at me is no damn reason to shoot them! Words do not meet with a friggin bullet!

 

[ChicagoBlue2]

Oh definitely different. I'm glad you'll be closer to your family, I'm sure you're excited!

I wish I could move closer to my family, but that's not an option, cause Southern IL does not have that many deafies down there, so I would be bored to death.

 

[Steinhauer]

If it bothers you, if there is other seats available, you could always move to another seat so you won't get distracted by someone's phone. There will be rude people around, if it's me I'd find a manager... if it doesn't help, then I can move to other seat if available.

There's no excuse to shoot someone just because this person was texting.

He apparently was not shot for texting. He was not texting when he confronted the old man. He was doing something else. Threatening? Throwing popcorn? Yelling and screaming?

The old man did ask him to stop texting, then went to complain. The 43 year old's wife even tried to hold him back from confronting the old man, so even she knew he was getting out of control.

regardless, all we know for certain right now is that he was not texting when he confronted the old man, and that words were exchanged. The old man did not shoot him for texting ... he had already asked him to stop and went to complain about it. It was when he returned that the 43 year old got irate. So, until the facts come out, I am going to reserve judgement.

 

[ChicagoBlue2]

Regardless of what was SAID.... Words are no reason to shoot someone. I support gun rights and all that stuff, however someone swearing at me is no damn reason to shoot them! Words do not meet with a friggin bullet!

Amen to that!

 

[Steinhauer]

Regardless of what was SAID.... Words are no reason to shoot someone. I support gun rights and all that stuff, however someone swearing at me is no damn reason to shoot them! Words do not meet with a friggin bullet!

It is different when you are using words in a physical altercation. Suppose the 43 year old said "I am going to (expletive) strangle you if you don't shut up !!!" then threw popcorn?

That is a threat. Now, we still don't know what was said ... and it is important that the facts come out first. If the old man shot him simply because the guy was being an asshole, then yeah, the old guy needs to go to prison. However, if the 43 year old was making physical threats, and/or was physically threatening the old man, then the entire scenario is different.

 

[ChicagoBlue2]

It is different when you are using words in a physical altercation. Suppose the 43 year old said "I am going to (expletive) strangle you if you don't shut up !!!" then threw popcorn?

That is a threat. Now, we still don't know what was said ... and it is important that the facts come out first. If the old man shot him simply because the guy was being an asshole, then yeah, the old guy needs to go to prison. However, if the 43 year old was making physical threats, and/or was physically threatening the old man, then the entire scenario is different.

I, too, am going to reserve judgement until the police close their investigation, and this being Texas, and what happened in Colorado in 2012, I wouldn't be surprised if they made this a high priority case.

 

[Jiro]

He apparently was not shot for texting. He was not texting when he confronted the old man. He was doing something else. Threatening? Throwing popcorn? Yelling and screaming?

The old man did ask him to stop texting, then went to complain. The 43 year old's wife even tried to hold him back from confronting the old man, so even she knew he was getting out of control.

where did you get that from? can't find it anywhere in the article that stated or implied such thing.

regardless, all we know for certain right now is that he was not texting when he confronted the old man, and that words were exchanged. The old man did not shoot him for texting ... he had already asked him to stop and went to complain about it. It was when he returned that the 43 year old got irate. So, until the facts come out, I am going to reserve judgement.

well.... let's see...

On the theaters' website is a list of prohibited items and actions. Among them: No cell phone use, including texting, in the theater auditorium. And no weapons allowed.

he broke that rule. he got into a hostile situation. when you're packing a heat as CCW... you're not supposed to get involved in any kind of altercation. you just have to take a high road and walk away. he didn't do that. I suppose his cop mentality got the best of him.... must be because he was used to ordering people around with aggression and hostility.

Oulson was fatally wounded. His wife was hit, too, through the hand as she raised her hand in front of her husband as the shooter drew a handgun.

Oulson staggered toward the Cummings and fell on them, Charles Cummings said.

The shooter sat down and put the gun in his lap.

sounds like the old man snapped.

 

[Mewtilation]

It is different when you are using words in a physical altercation. Suppose the 43 year old said "I am going to (expletive) strangle you if you don't shut up !!!" then threw popcorn?

That is a threat. Now, we still don't know what was said ... and it is important that the facts come out first. If the old man shot him simply because the guy was being an asshole, then yeah, the old guy needs to go to prison. However, if the 43 year old was making physical threats, and/or was physically threatening the old man, then the entire scenario is different.

If someone threatened to f***ing strangle me over texting I'd probably laugh at them.... Flip the situation, if someone threw popcorn at me, I still wouldn't shoot them.... Maybe punch them or something... Throw something back? A shot can kill someone, threats and popcorn can not. I've been physically threatened many times in my life in different scenarios.... Have I shot anyone? No. You DON'T SHOOT SOMEONE THAT ISN'T ENDANGERING YOU! PERIOD! If the man had a gun or a knife or something... sure, shoot away he was a THREAT! Words and popcorn? Please, give that old man the death penalty or life in prison and move on okay thanks. That's a complete and absolute ridiculous over-reaction and there was no need to shoot over words, texting or threats. It's a THREAT! If everyone shot everyone who made a threat at them our population wouldn't be so high. :roll:

 

[Jiro]

It is different when you are using words in a physical altercation. Suppose the 43 year old said "I am going to (expletive) strangle you if you don't shut up !!!" then threw popcorn?

That is a threat. Now, we still don't know what was said ... and it is important that the facts come out first. If the old man shot him simply because the guy was being an asshole, then yeah, the old guy needs to go to prison. However, if the 43 year old was making physical threats, and/or was physically threatening the old man, then the entire scenario is different.

unfortunately.... getting assaulted by popcorns is not a justifiable use of deadly force.

physical threat or not... it's still not a justifiable use of deadly force especially since Chad was never armed. so this does not bode well for this old man.

 

[Jiro]

If someone threatened to f***ing strangle me over texting I'd probably laugh at them.... Flip the situation, if someone threw popcorn at me, I still wouldn't shoot them.... Maybe punch them or something... Throw something back? A shot can kill someone, threats and popcorn can not. I've been physically threatened many times in my life in different scenarios.... Have I shot anyone? No. You DON'T SHOOT SOMEONE THAT ISN'T ENDANGERING YOU! PERIOD! If the man had a gun or a knife or something... sure, shoot away he was a THREAT! Words and popcorn? Please, give that old man the death penalty or life in prison and move on okay thanks. That's a complete and absolute ridiculous over-reaction and there was no need to shoot over words, texting or threats. It's a THREAT! If everyone shot everyone who made a threat at them our population wouldn't be so high. :roll:

punching would get you in jail for assault... a misdemeanor charge but if you were packing a heat and even though you never touched it but if you were arrested and a police officer found your CCW... that would be a felony... and your life's pretty much ruined.

 

[Steinhauer]

All good, valid points. However, one thing not mentioned is that the 43 year old is much stronger than the 70 year old. Also, it seems people like to insert words in my mouth that were not stated or implied. I never said the 70 year old was innocent, I never said the shooting was justified, I never said the 43 year old "had it coming".

What I did say, was that the 43 year old was not shot for texting. He was doing something else (he stood up and confronted the retired police officer) when the old man returned to where his wife was seated. We do not know if the retired officer was planning on moving to a different seat.

We do not know what was said, we do not know if the 43 year old was attempting a physical altercation.

We do know that his wife's hand was shot (when she attempted to hold him back), and we do know the 43 year old had stood up to confront the older man.

And, after thoroughly reading through Florida's SYG laws (like pretty much everyone in the US after the Trayvon Martin incident) you are legally allowed to use deadly force if you feel your life is in danger (even protects you when using deadly force in an assault).

 

[Jiro]

All good, valid points. However, one thing not mentioned is that the 43 year old is much stronger than the 70 year old. Also, it seems people like to insert words in my mouth that were not stated or implied. I never said the 70 year old was innocent, I never said the shooting was justified, I never said the 43 year old "had it coming".

What I did say, was that the 43 year old was not shot for texting. He was doing something else (he stood up and confronted the retired police officer) when the old man returned to where his wife was seated. We do not know if the retired officer was planning on moving to a different seat.

We do not know what was said, we do not know if the 43 year old was attempting a physical altercation.

We do know that his wife's hand was shot (when she attempted to hold him back), and we do know the 43 year old had stood up to confront the older man.

nothing in the article even implied such thing. it's most likely that a wife was attempting to protecting her husband from him when she saw a gun... just out of instinct.

and nothing in the article stated any physical altercation. it does appear that the guy simply stood up in middle of audience, hollering at him. I'm sure the investigators have already done their investigating and decided that Curtis be charged with homicide.

I thought you were going to reserve your judgment but you clearly aren't. you're clearly trying to paint this 43-years old man as a hostile individual and the old man was well within his rights to defend himself via SYG.

 

[Steinhauer]

nothing in the article even implied such thing. it's most likely that a wife was attempting to protecting her husband from him when she saw a gun... just out of instinct.

and nothing in the article stated any physical altercation. it does appear that the guy simply stood up in middle of audience, hollering at him.

The older man was seated directly behind the 43 year old. The 43 year old was "in his face".

The wife's hand was shot. She was holding her husband back when he was shot, she did not stand up in a split second and attempt to protect her husband when she saw a gun. She knew her husband was getting out of control. if she was trying to protect her husband from a gunshot, her hand would not have been shot, she would have stood in front of him.

we have all seen this ... numerous times.

 

[Mewtilation]

punching would get you in jail for assault... a misdemeanor charge but if you were packing a heat and even though you never touched it but if you were arrested and a police officer found your CCW... that would be a felony... and your life's pretty much ruined.

Oh no I understand, I was just stating the most extreme I'd go was punching someone lol! I wouldn't shoot over something like that was all I was implying. :P