Give it up. You simply cannot make the case for taking a gun into a privately-owned theater with a posted no-gun policy, pick a fight with a texter, leave your seat and then return to the scene of the original fight, and then pull a gun, no matter what the guy said. Even if he said, “I’m going to shoot you.” He should have gotten the manager on his first trip out. Failing that, take his gun to the car and call the on-duty police and file a report. Failing that, move to another seat when he returned. He did none of those reasonable actions. He must either be mentally ill or have a death wish. Unfortunatly, he took a little girl’s daddy away for no good reason. Stop trying to make a silk purse out of this turd.
The policy may or may not apply to ex-cops carrying firearms.
Albion Wilde said: " ... pick a fight with a texter, ..."
I have heard no evidence of a "fight" over the texting.
Albion Wilde said: "... leave your seat and then return to the scene of the original fight ..."
There was no "fight" up until that time. Contacting management was the right thing to do. Returning to his seat was the right of the ex-cop.
Albion Wilde said: ... and then pull a gun, no matter what the guy said. Even if he said, “I’m going to shoot you.”
You've got to be kidding me. Florida is a "shall issue" state. Any law-abiding citizen is entitled to be licensed to carry a concealed firearm. If you attempt to intimidate me and threaten to shoot me, I will draw and fire. Why would I not do so?
How would this be any different than if a robber accosts me and says, "Give me your wallet or I'm gonna cut you". You think I need to see the knife before reacting?