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Accused Movie Theater Shooter Said He Was 'In Fear of Being Attacked'
Yahoo News/Good Morning America ^ | STEVE OSUNSAMI, SENI TIENABESO and COLLEEN CURRY (GMA)

Posted on 01/15/2014 5:09:04 AM PST by Anton.Rutter

Edited on 01/15/2014 6:21:09 AM PST by Sidebar Moderator. [history]

The elderly man accused of shooting a movie theater patron in Florida after an argument over text messaging told police that he fired because he "was in fear of being attacked."

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said at a news conference today that the victim, Chad Oulson, 43, was texting his young daughter's babysitter when an argument erupted with Reeves over texting during previews before the movie "Lone Survivor."


(Excerpt) Read more at gma.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: assaultpopcorn; banglist; curtisreeves; dontyouknowwhoiam; donutwatch; elderly; floriduh; murder; ohyeahmakeme; respectmyauthority
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To: usconservative
I'd think that since you and I are aware of that, a 71 year old retired cop would also be aware of that and still used better discretion than he did.

You may be making the defenses argument. The cop knew what the popcorn could me, he was about to be assaulted. The 71 year old cop knew he was no match for the younger man and had to defend himself from great bodily harm.

201 posted on 01/15/2014 7:40:43 AM PST by School of Rational Thought
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To: UCANSEE2
So... the cop making an issue out of someone 'texting' was actually the cause of the disruption for all the moviegoers, and not the texting.

Exactly. This busy body guffer got his panties in a wad about someone pressing some buttons on a phone?

I suspect the retired cop was outraged that a mere peon didn't "respect my authority".

The last time I went to a movie theater was 2004, (Team America). I doubt if I'll ever go to another theater.

202 posted on 01/15/2014 7:40:49 AM PST by csvset
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To: UCANSEE2
Even if you have one that does, you can turn it off.

They are plastic buttons that hit a pad. Can you turn "off" your laptop keyboard keys "sound"?

203 posted on 01/15/2014 7:43:55 AM PST by a fool in paradise ("Health care is too important to be left to the government.")
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To: grania

Either party could have changed seats. What I found ironic is that both guys apparently had enjoyed riding motorcycles. In a better situation they may have had enjoyed talking about their passion for bikes.


204 posted on 01/15/2014 7:43:56 AM PST by csvset
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To: Onelifetogive
That the wife’s hand was shot shielding her husband is not a compelling argument to me. Seems more logical that she was attempting to restrain him.

If you've ever ridden in the front passenger seat with a woman driver who is also a mother, don't be surprised if, when she has to stop suddenly, she simultaneously, instinctively and forcefully places her hand over your chest. It's a female universal to protect their loved one from incoming.

205 posted on 01/15/2014 7:48:46 AM PST by Albion Wilde (The less a man knows, the more certain he is that he knows it all.)
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To: Luke21

By their logic, the incident could just as reasonably be used to accuse cops of being dangerous nuts.


206 posted on 01/15/2014 7:48:48 AM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th (and 17th))
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To: sport; Anton.Rutter
As far as him being annoyed by the texting goes, all he had to do was move to another seat, but no, he wanted to demonstrate his authority like back when he was a policeman.

That's how it strikes me, as well.

207 posted on 01/15/2014 7:49:58 AM PST by Albion Wilde (The less a man knows, the more certain he is that he knows it all.)
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To: Anton.Rutter

“Except for the numerous folks who exhibit the opposite kneejerk response and want to give him a medal...I know you were just about to add.”

No, I wasn’t, because that seems to be a very distinct minority of people.

“Do you think a man killed, wife shot and a three year old who will never see her father again...over a text...is NOT a strike against their murderer’s credibility?”

This is just an emotional appeal, so I’m just going to ignore it.

“What if Curtis Reeves had been a retired black electrician?”

Why deal in hypotheticals? We’ve got a real situation here.


208 posted on 01/15/2014 7:52:09 AM PST by Boogieman
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To: Wolfie
We’ll have to watch closely. If the shooter walks, we’ll know that an old man requesting us to stop texting is a threat to our very lives, and we can justifiably shoot him.

Indeed. Where anyone, particularly retired blue gods with Alzheimers, can conceive a similar "comply or die" authority for themselves, you should be prepared to kill or be killed whenever a stranger approaches to even ask a simple question.

Now, I could have put an /s there, but I guess I didn't.

209 posted on 01/15/2014 7:52:56 AM PST by Anton.Rutter
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To: grania
Who would ever sit behind a couple with a toddler in a movie theater? And a rude couple, no less, texting after the movie started.

I may be wrong, but I understood that the toddler was in nursery school, and that was who he was texting, to make sure she was okay before they settled into the movie. And I definitely read that he was texting during the previews, not the movie itself. Why in the world should that bother anyone, unless he failed to silence the beep of incoming replies?

Even so...like you said, move seats. Can't think of when I've been in a full movie theater lately.

210 posted on 01/15/2014 7:53:19 AM PST by Albion Wilde (The less a man knows, the more certain he is that he knows it all.)
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To: UCANSEE2; LeonardFMason

My son has seen movies there. There’s even a map of their seating on their website. You pick your seats when you buy a ticket.

There were a lot of open seats of only 25 people were there. Capacity looks to be around 120.


211 posted on 01/15/2014 7:53:53 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: School of Rational Thought
That popcorn may just save the cop.

or not

The timeline here will be interesting --

How long does it take for a retired cop who hasn't pulled his gun in years to pull his weapon, aim and fire???

The patrons describe the popcorn flying almost instantaneous with the gunshot meaning that he may have had the gun out and pointed at the victim before the popcorn flew.

212 posted on 01/15/2014 7:54:17 AM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: USS Alaska

Tell me where I’m going to need my gun and I’ll consider only carrying it to that place.


213 posted on 01/15/2014 7:54:37 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: TheRhinelander
I might add that the amount of hatred for cops shown here is disturbing.

It is sad that we have entered an era where the Peace Officer has become something else--in the eyes of many, a symbol of totalitarianism, and that is all too often reinforced by media accounts of bad cops.

While people recognize that there are some good cops and that in some jurisdictions they form an overwhelming majority, it only takes one bad apple to make the whole barrel stink.

Between the bad apples, bad shoots, seizures, no-knocks at the wrong address, and increasingly overbearing government making more of what we did yesterday a crime today, people have become hostile, and it falls on the individual officer to overcome this.

214 posted on 01/15/2014 7:55:42 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: Anton.Rutter; TheRhinelander
Douche bags should die. The more the better.

Problem with that arguement is there's always a BIGGER douchebag deciding who should die....

Thankfully this is a computer forum and not a theatre, eh, TheRhinelander?
215 posted on 01/15/2014 7:56:07 AM PST by RedMonqey ("Gun-free zones" equal "Target-rich environment.")
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To: a fool in paradise

On most cell phones, the keys are “virtual” (i.e. they are nothing more than a particular location on a touch screen).

The “click” sound is entirely optional and can be turned on and off. Even on the older phones which have an actual keyboard, the keys are constructed differently from those on a computer keyboard, and most are not inherently noisy.

I think this is what “a fool in paradise” was referring to.


216 posted on 01/15/2014 7:56:28 AM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th (and 17th))
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To: WayneS

Sorry, I think this is what “UCANSEE2” was referring to...


217 posted on 01/15/2014 7:57:23 AM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th (and 17th))
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To: School of Rational Thought

“In the movies, sand is often used as well as countless other objects.”

Aliens and time travel exists in movies as well. Has no basis on reality.


218 posted on 01/15/2014 7:58:14 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: Sherman Logan

And the shooter wants to go to the crappy town where he’s a hero.


219 posted on 01/15/2014 7:58:34 AM PST by Valpal1 (If the police can t solve a problem with violence, they ll find a way to fix it with brute force)
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To: PLMerite
Throwing something in an opponent’s face is a good opening move in a fight...
Of course the shooter could just be a dumbass.

I think you're on to something there...

220 posted on 01/15/2014 8:00:01 AM PST by Albion Wilde (The less a man knows, the more certain he is that he knows it all.)
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