FL Retired cop, shoots texting wanker

[fintstone]

It seems to me that the older man acted appropriately by asking the man to stop and then reporting him when he did not. When the older man returned, he was confronted by the younger man for reporting him. Obviously, the felt threatened and protected himself. Clearly the younger man was the aggressor prior to being shot.

[Baz]

Getting a better picture of what happened:

As a male moviegoer texted, the man seated behind him objected, and asked the texter to put his phone away.

They argued several times, according to police and witnesses, and the man who was texting watched as the other man walked out of the theater. Curtis Reeves, a retired police officer, apparently went seeking a theater employee to complain about the texting, police said.

Two seats away Charles Cummings and his son watched the squabbling.

When Reeves returned, he was without a manager.

"He came back very irritated," Cummings said.

The man who had been texting, Chad Oulson, got up and turned to Reeves to ask him if he had gone to tell on him for his texting. Oulson reportedly said, in effect: I was just sending a message to my young daughter.

Voices were raised. Popcorn was thrown. And then came something unimaginable -- except maybe in a movie. A gun shot.

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.

Police: Texting argument in movie theater sparks fatal shooting - CNN.com

BOTH parties were responsible to some degree. Both violated theater policy and also that of society.

[jyl]

"Popcorn was thrown" + then a gunshot = murder.

[fintstone]

Self-defense.

[slakjaw]

Given the opportunity, I would personally shoot that ex pig dead. And I would feel pretty good about it.

[fintstone]

Why? Do you pick fights with old guys at the theater too?

[slakjaw]

Originally Posted by fintstone

It seems to me that the older man acted appropriately by asking the man to stop and then reporting him when he did not. When the older man returned, he was confronted by the younger man for reporting him. Obviously, the felt threatened and protected himself. Clearly the younger man was the aggressor prior to being shot.

BS. total BS. Dude threw popcorn. Are you old people that frail? does popcorn hurt you old farts?

[slakjaw]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Why? Do you pick fights with old guys at the theater too?

Maybe you old farts should not go to the talkies anymore.

[nota]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Please. Lighten up on referring to an officer of the law with that offensive slur. It's a cheap shot and it's not the 60's anymore, either.

To your greater point, the "old man" was smart enough to know that texting during the previews probably meant that it would continue during the movie.

And he was also smart enough to know that he would miss part of the movie if he had to get up and go look for a manager after the movie started... well, hopefully you've thought about that by now.

NO this guy acted like a PIG so he earned the name
only in a PIG's mind does lack of respect for his authority
equal the right to shoot in a crowded place and kill the victim
he murdered the younger man and wounded his wife
he is 100% wrong and acted like a PIG

[slakjaw]

Originally Posted by nota

NO this guy acted like a PIG so he earned the name
only in a PIG's mind does lack of respect for his authority
equal the right to shoot in a crowded place and kill the victim
he murdered the younger man and wounded his wife
he is 100% wrong and acted like a PIG

+ 1 million

[fintstone]

Don't go now. Too many noisy, inconsiderate punks.

[Rick Lee]

Quote de jyl

In Oregon and probably most states, you may shoot only if you are reasonably defending yourself from "serious bodily harm". Being yelled at, popcorn thrown at you, pushed and shoved, even hit with a bare hand does not qualify. Unless the shooter was being pounded with fists and unable to defend himself, or being attacked with a deadly weapon, he has probably committed murder. In Oregon at least. A CCW does not make its bearer Wyatt Earp.

This part of the self-defense law seems a bit nebulous to me, but probably because I get most of my info here on PPOT. Some members, (who coincidentally carry guns in public), have claimed that they could shoot to kill anyone who so much as raises a fist to them.



The actuality is that if you shoot someone, in most states, unless it's an absolute open and shut case of self-defense, you will likely be charged with some degree of homicide. The shooting needs to be so clean that the local DA or city attorney will decline to charge you or if they do, you prevail at your criminal trial.



Maybe the self-defense laws really are different in Fla. It's a strange place.

The shooter has, indeed, been charged with murder two. Most states have a deadly force threshold that reads something to the effect of, "if a reasonable person would conclude that death or grave bodily harm is imminent."

So, if the texter gave the old man a good hit, I wouldn't put is past a jury to acquit him or even for a grand jury to no bill him. Not saying the texter deserved to die, but texting had nothing to do with the grounds for shooting him.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by nota

NO this guy acted like a PIG so he earned the name
only in a PIG's mind does lack of respect for his authority
equal the right to shoot in a crowded place and kill the victim
he murdered the younger man and wounded his wife
he is 100% wrong and acted like a PIG

The fact that he wounded the wife and killed the guy with one bullet tells me that she was most likely trying to separate the two men.
Which means they were in physical contact with each other when the old guy pulled his gun.

Was the old guy right or wrong? There will be a court case to answer that question.

[slakjaw]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

The fact that he wounded the wife and killed the guy with one bullet tells me that she was most likely trying to separate the two men.
Which means they were in physical contact with each other when the old guy pulled his gun.

Was the old guy right or wrong? There will be a court case to answer that question.

The old fart instigated the entire thing. I hope he gets the chair after spending a year locked in a cell with bubba getting beat and raped every day. Since he is an ex cop he will get off. Cops are above the law. Which is why I hope someone shoots him dead.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by slakjaw

The old fart instigated the entire thing. I hope he gets the chair after spending a year locked in a cell with bubba getting beat and raped every day. Since he is an ex cop he will get off. Cops are above the law. Which is why I hope someone shoots him dead.

Carl, Lighten up a little... Three lives have been ruined here. Not just the deceased.

[Baz]

The article didn't specify who threw the popcorn.

[Baz]

From the article:

Reeves retired in 1993 as a captain with the police department in nearby Tampa. He was also director of security at Busch Gardens until 2005, the station reported.

Bay News 9 spoke to a neighbor of Oulson's who said the dead man was a very nice guy who he couldn't envision being involved in an incident like this.

"Always smiling. I've never seen him angry," Bill Costas said. If I needed help with something he was always there.

"Totally different guy. Like I said, it just doesn't make sense to me. Not from what I know of him."

[foxpaws]

It is hard to believe that many here is in some form or the other is defending the older guy for shooting and killing a guy for throwing popcorn at his person (or so it appears). I would imaging that the older gentleman could have walked away, easily, without escalating this to a deadly encounter. A movie visit is never, ever worth killing someone over.

I am pretty sure there are no carry laws for the theater - most of them have that sort of restriction, the old man is probably going to be in trouble on many levels -

mreid - how difficult for you - what a terrible loss for your coworker and her and her husband's family, and how senseless.

[Baz]

Pic of the deceased from his FB page...that's the daughter he was texting to?

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by foxpaws

It is hard to believe that many here is in some form or the other is defending the older guy for shooting and killing a guy for throwing popcorn at his person (or so it appears). I would imaging that the older gentleman could have walked away, easily, without escalating this to a deadly encounter. A movie visit is never, ever worth killing someone over.

I am pretty sure there are no carry laws for the theater - most of them have that sort of restriction, the old man is probably going to be in trouble on many levels -

agreed.

but like any cop, ex or otherwise, he could not de-escalate the situation. cops only ever escalate situations.