If his hand were under his coat there is no way that you can see it or know it. You are now making things up.
There is a huge difference between a verbal confrontation and a physical one. There is a solid line between putting your hands on someone or something they are holding and throwing it at them and saying words to them. This difference exists in the reality of every day encounters and with the existing laws.
You can want what ever you wish but these laws have been on books for many decades. They reach from domestic violence situations clear out to strangers on the street. Words are never enough reason/justification to physically assault someone.
By your way of thinking we could assault anyone and everyone who yelled at us. No it does not work like that.
Reeves clearly was ready to escalate the confrontation before the popcorn was thrown. There was a back and forth exchange between the two. Witnesses heard them arguing. Watch bond hearing, Sheriff’s deputy testimony at 58:00 minutes in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5iw1xtJx58&feature=youtube_gdata_player
“That will teach you to throw popcorn at me.”- 3 witnesses heard Reeves say that.According to the sheriff’s deputy who confiscated Reeves’ gun, he heard his wife say: (rough quote) “That was no reason to shoot someone.”
Reeves then told his wife to: “ Shut your fu#king mouth, and don’t say another word.”, according to the sheriff deputy.-When his own wife said (in front of witnesses) the shooting was wrong, why would you still defend it? -That is puzzling.