Posted on 01/13/2014 9:11:20 PM PST by smokingfrog
A moviegoer lost his life inside a Pasco County theater Monday afternoon after a dispute over texting with a retired police officer.
According to the sheriff's office, the dispute happened before the 1:20 showing of 'Lone Survivor' had even gotten underway at the Cobb CineBistro at Grove 16 complex on Wesley Grove Blvd.
Investigators say two couples had gotten into an argument over noise.
"The victim was on his cell phone; he was texting. We believe he was making some kind of noise. This noise led to an altercation between the suspect and the victim," Sheriff Chris Nocco explained.
A witness recalled seeing the agitated man -- later identified by deputies as Curtis Reeves -- get up and leave in an apparent attempt to find a manager. When he came back alone, the argument escalated.
Charles Cummings told FOX 13 he heard the victim say he was texting his 3-year-old daughter before Reeves pulled out a pistol.
"Their voices start going up, there seems to be a confrontation, somebody throws popcorn, then bang, he was shot," said Cummings, who was there to celebrate his birthday. "I heard the victim say, 'I can't believe...,' then he fell on us."
"I asked if the guy was OK, and he started gurgling blood and then fell," recalled Cummings' son, who said he ran to call 911.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxtampabay.com ...
I guess don’t take popcorn to the gunfight.
I don't text.
That is over the top. Now, had the movie started, well that is a different story.
Senseless.
In France movie theaters have jammers so that cell phones don’t work. (Or so I’ve been told)
I think that is a good idea in many instances. A theater a Church, a restaurant a school, maybe even a grocery or department store should all be able to block the signals if they want. I can see having to post a notice or something but I just get so tired listening to 1/2 of other people’s conversations.
If they put a GPS in a car then then they could put a jammer there too. If the engine is running the phone won’t work.
Apply the same rules to cell phones as are done with cigarettes.
It’s good that theaters don’t let dogz in.
I see upsides to this story. A texter is dead, plus an unstable mental freak is going to jail and will face financial and rectum ruins.
Sage advice from a Nanny State Hall Monitor.
You are right. We need constitutional amendments to protect us from the cell phones.
I'm bad, I know.
TAMPA (FOX 13) -
We’re learning more about a retired Tampa police officer accused of shooting and killing a man in Wesley Chapel movie theater, reportedly in a dispute over noisy texting.
Curtis Reeves, 71, left the Tampa Police Department in 1993, where a spokesperson said he helped start 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,” spokesperson Laura McElroy said in a media release.
After working at TPD, Reeves went to work doing security at Busch Gardens.
He currently has a son who serves as a Tampa police officer. Mathew Reeves has been with the department since 2003. He has nine letters of appreciation and an excellent duty award in his file, the department said.
Reeves is charged with 2nd degree murder.
Read more: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/24439195/2014/01/13/who-is-curtis-reeves#ixzz2qLcWj8kp
Follow us: @myfoxtampabay on Twitter | FOX13TampaBay on Facebook
Texter vs (demented x-cop) gunslinger, hows that gonna work out?
Thankfully no dogs were shot. Bow wow wow!
They still act as personal trainers for the local squirrels.
Let’s ban popcorn too while we’re at it.
Why are you giving him/her ideas?
wow..not that surprising
if we all shot and killed everybody that bothered us, there would be dead bodies everywhere....
I hope the widow sues this sorry ass ex police....RETIRED FOR 20 YEARS since age 51.....
I generally do not go to movies or around people in general as much as possible, because people are ****in’ crazy.
This retired cop has. served the public many years back, but one undisplined moment of anger has destroyed a family and taken away his freedom, possibly for good. Maybe he was in early stages of alzheimers. With all that said, Oualson should not have been texting. People go to the movies to escape the trappings and the tedious gadgetry of modern life, at least many people do. People from all walks of life seem to get very mad very easily. There is no one explanation. Leave that phone alone during movie hour!
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