“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?”
This is the problem with Florida SYG in a nutshell (I am a FL permit holder).
In your home, in your car, the aggressor and the defender are easy to figure out. But in this situation, the shooter has a presumption that “I was in danger” is truthful, when, realistically, who can tell?
I, too, have a FL permit. If I had been in the shooter's situation, I would have sought out management and insisted that they refund my money so that I could enjoy a movie somewhere else. The manager then could choose whether he wanted my business or the business of the texter.
Had I returned to my seat, I would have considered the matter closed and any communication with the texter unwelcome. Had the texter continued to berate me, I would have left.
The problem, however, is what to do if suddenly physically attacked by the texter. How big is he? How many scars does he have on his face from prior altercations. Can I see his hands? Does he have accomplices that I can see or that are approaching from behind?
The first rule of a gunfight is "Have a gun", but perhaps should be, "If you have a choice, don't go".
I believe it is the widespread and long-standing violations of the Second Amendment which have turned our world into a place where people think they can throw popcorn into another's face and not pay any consequences.
I asked before, just what was the popcorn thrower going to do next? Sit down and enjoy the movie after having assaulted another person? Or is it more likely that the attack was going to continue?
There are no winners in this situation even if the ex-cop is able to convince a jury that he feared great bodily harm or death at the hands of his attacker.