Posted on 01/13/2014 3:27:40 PM PST by Impala64ssa
An altercation between two couples at a Wesley Chapel movie theater Monday led to a shooting that left a man dead, authorities said.
The suspect was identified as Curtis Reeves, a retired Tampa police officer. He has been arrested on a charge of second-degree homicide.
According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Chad and Nichole Oulson got into an argument with Reeves and his wife, who were sitting behind them during previews for the 1:20 p.m. showing of the war movie Lone Survivor.
Argument started over cell phone
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said the argument began when Reeves became upset about noise the couple was making while texting on a cell phone. Nocco said Reeves asked Oulson to stop several times, and that at one point he got up and left the theater, then returned to his seat.
Nocco said Oulson then asked if Reeves had reported him to theater management for using his phone, and the two men began to argue.
At some point, Reeves shot Oulson in the chest, Nocco said. He said Nichole Oulson put her hand up to her husband's chest as the Reeves shot him, trying to stop the bullet.
Nocco said two off-duty nurses, who were also in the theater, began performing CPR and tried to save Oulson. Both victims were transported to local hospitals, but Chad Oulson died. His wife was treated for a gunshot wound to her hand, authorities said.
An off-duty Sumter County deputy was inside the theater at the time, Nocco said. Authorities said the deputy secured the gun and held Reeves until deputies arrived and took him into custody, authorities said. No other injuries were reported.
"The suspected decides to pull out a .380 (handgun), and he shoots the victim," Sheriff Chris Nocco said. "It's absolutely crazy that it would rise to this level of (violence) over somebody texting at a movie theater."
Theater evacuated after shooting
About 25 people were in the theater at the time of the shooting. The theater was evacuated, closed and cordoned off. Deputies and other law enforcement personnel converged on the scene.
Grove 16 is located off Interstate 75 and State Road 54 at 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd. It includes a restaurant theater called the CineBisto, but it isn't clear where in the building the shooting took place.
"Everybody is paranoid, scared, because a movie theater should be a safe place where people should be able to go out and enjoy themselves," Nocco said. "But what America has seen over the last couple of years is that movie theaters have become dangerous places where injuries occur."
According to Tampa Police, Reeves retired from the department on September 30, 1993 as a Captain. A TPD spokesperson said he was instrumental in establishing the department's first Tactical Response Team.
"We are not aware of any contact with the department since his departure more than 20 years ago," the statement said.
Unlike the mass shooting that occurred inside a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., in 2012, this was an isolated incident stemming from an argument between two couples.
Cobb Theatres released the following statement Monday afternoon:
"We are deeply saddened by the events that occurred earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. The theatre is currently closed, and we are actively working with the sheriff’s office on this investigation. This was an isolated altercation between two guests that escalated unexpectedly. The safety, security and comfort of our guests and team members are always our top priorities, and we are truly heartbroken by this incident."
Never bring popcorn to a gun fight.
especially 16+ ounce sodas and transfatty buttered popcorn.
Oh, the hugemanatee!
And I’m guessing the race of the offending “texter.”
I would NOT be surprised if his name was Jamal.
I’ll get flamed for this fer shere.
But typically, if there is a nuisance in a movie house, its usually a wigger or a ......
Just found out that I am WRONG,WRONG,WRONG.
But hey, stuff happens.
Something got up their butts that caused all this. We will never know.
“Trained Professionals” like Senator Feinstein herself.
Deadly force is deadly force. The ex cop is the one who got so upset about this guy texting before the movie started.
The shooter is 71 years old and many men develop anger management issues as they age. It is for this reason, among others, that Federal Law Enforcement Officers must retire at 57.
It’s probably bad from our point of view, because here is a trained guy, a mature guy, with his wife along, etc. and yet his gun still managed to kill someone. No gun, no murder, that’s what they will say. Movies should be “gun free zones”, etc.
I saw a picture of the victim on another thread that got pulled, he looked like a perfectly nice fellow too.
It’s very sad that something so stupid could get this far out of control.
They were at the movies in the middle of the day, it’s usually empty - couldn’t someone just have changed their seat?
And that's why streaming rulz these daze.
SShhhh!
Us “old guys” just don’t like a lot of noise!
But I never thought of capping someone because of it!
IMHO, something else is at play here, like too many years of getting “control” of a situation. And now, as “control” slips away, and the “man” finds out he is no better than us taxpayers, he just couldn’t deal with it.
But hey, what the heck do I know? I’m just a sucker paying his pension.
Never bring a cellphone to a gun fight.
Nocco is an idiot.
(((
And a drama queen, it appears.
That’s my point, Reeves asked the guy to stop a couple of times and then went and reported it to the management. He didn’t shoot him because he was texting. Oulson got irate that he was reported to the theater management. What happens between that point in time and when Reeves shoots him is conveniently left out of the story. The reporter is trying to cast the story as a crazy gun-owner escalating from an argument to shooting someone, but we don’t know if Ouslon assaulted Reeves first.
Not Hawaii
WHUT WE HAFE HEAH....IS...FAILUAH.....
ping
One more note here DJ.
In the Iraq war, a lot of guys (Nam Vets) in their ‘60s and ‘70s flew chopper missions in Iraq. And the youngsters looked up to them for their “level headedness.”
But those guys were military. What we are talking about here is POLICE.
Different mindset altogether.
I’ll quit now, before I get into real trouble.
Well he’s already been arrested for 2nd degree murder and there are a lot of witnesses. Sounds like a retired cop on an ego trip to me.
“No other injuries [in particular to Reeves] were reported. “
Sounds like Reeves will be making a reduced capacity plea (his meds). The fascists will love this case.
There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.
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