View Full Version : Texting in movie theater sparks fatal shooting



GoOKC1991
01-13-2014, 05:36 PM
Obviously, not a reason to shoot someone, but the constant texting and sometimes even filming (piracy) at movie theaters is very annoying.

Police: Texting argument in movie theater sparks fatal shooting - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/13/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/)

hoya
01-13-2014, 05:50 PM
People should turn off their damn phones.

kevinpate
01-13-2014, 06:46 PM
People should turn off their damn phones.

And leave their firearms holstered.

BBatesokc
01-13-2014, 06:57 PM
Obviously, not a reason to shoot someone, but the constant texting and sometimes even filming (piracy) at movie theaters is very annoying.

Police: Texting argument in movie theater sparks fatal shooting - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/13/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/)


It was during the previews and he was texting his daughter. I say before the movie starts you can do what you want.

GoOKC1991
01-13-2014, 07:02 PM
It was during the previews and he was texting his daughter. I say before the movie starts you can do what you want.

I fully understand. I was just talking in general, because I see it almost every time I go to the movies.

Once at a movie at Harkins, a staff member came in during the movie to check for specially people texting and told those who were to stop, this was the only time I've seen that happen.

Mel
01-13-2014, 07:04 PM
I wouldn't mind some type of software that disables phone use while you are in the theatre. Lobby phone use only.

BBatesokc
01-13-2014, 07:31 PM
I fully understand. I was just talking in general, because I see it almost every time I go to the movies.

Once at a movie at Harkins, a staff member came in during the movie to check for specially people texting and told those who were to stop, this was the only time I've seen that happen.

I hear ya. Until recently we'd only go to a movie after it had been out a couple of weeks and only in the early morning to avoid all the clowns who use their phones, bring their loud kids or like to talk to each other - or even at the screen.

However, lately we reserve a seat at Penn Square and have really enjoyed it with no distractions.

Plutonic Panda
01-13-2014, 08:16 PM
What an idiot. Lock this guy up for life.

Mel
01-13-2014, 08:43 PM
I hear ya. Until recently we'd only go to a movie after it had been out a couple of weeks and only in the early morning to avoid all the clowns who use their phones, bring their loud kids or like to talk to each other - or even at the screen.

However, lately we reserve a seat at Penn Square and have really enjoyed it with no distractions.

The first time we went to that theatre and my wife powered that chair out she looked at me and said " I REALLY like this" which means in couple talk, this theatre and no other.

Celebrator
01-13-2014, 09:15 PM
When I lived in Florida, I could never understand why people there were so angry...very short tempered and rude, generally. Stop and smell the orange blossoms, people!

RadicalModerate
01-13-2014, 09:29 PM
I wouldn't mind some type of software that disables phone use while you are in the theatre. Lobby phone use only.

Perhaps the same technology could be applied to drivers of vehicles in motion?
They could call this marvelous invention "Choice". . .

rGIY5Vyj4YM

Stew
01-13-2014, 09:49 PM
Florida? Who knows this could end up being self defense. Perhaps the shooter felt threatened after he confronted the texter.
How big was the victim? Was he sporting a hoodie and perhaps packing skittles and a can of ice tea drink. How tragic.

jerrywall
01-13-2014, 10:28 PM
What's funny to me is that no one seems to be talking about the fact that the shooter is evidently a retired police officer (a captain in fact). So either a) he's off his rocker b) they employ some really messed up career officers in florida (totally possible) or c) there's more to this story than simply shooting someone for texting.

RadicalModerate
01-13-2014, 10:42 PM
Let's look at the "evidence" here for a moment . . .
71 y.o. former police officer (captain, ret.) . . .
46 y.o. phone texting addict . . .
Scarface (w/Al Pacino) (Movie) . . .
Flashback from the end of the "law and order" days . . .
PTSD: "OK M-frk . . . Say "hello" to MY leetle friend . . ."
(reasonable doubt? . . . maybe yes, maybe no . . .)

kevinpate
01-14-2014, 04:03 AM
What's funny to me is that no one seems to be talking about the fact that the shooter is evidently a retired police officer (a captain in fact). So either a) he's off his rocker b) they employ some really messed up career officers in florida (totally possible) or c) there's more to this story than simply shooting someone for texting.

texting, arguing, taunting over talking to a theater employee, arguing, someone throwing popcorn, gun drawn, shot fired, gunman sits down with gun in lap waits for cops, another off duty cop keeps an eye on first one.

Does it make one hoot or hollar whether the chap who brought out his gun during a cell phone argument was a retired cop, school teacher, baker, banker, bricklayer or neurosurgeon?

Anyone trained to carry is trained to not draw unless you intend to put your threat down. If someone draws on a cell phone texting, loudmouth, popcorn pitching, turd in a punch bowl, it will end badly if a round is fired, more badly if the aim is true, unless the shooter can sell it as being in fear for his life.

Preliminary reports don't suggest that this ends well for the shooter. Nor should it absent something very compelling.

Martin
01-14-2014, 05:10 AM
wouldn't have happened at alamo drafthouse... -M


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3eeC2lJZs

BBatesokc
01-14-2014, 05:11 AM
What's funny to me is that no one seems to be talking about the fact that the shooter is evidently a retired police officer (a captain in fact). So either a) he's off his rocker b) they employ some really messed up career officers in florida (totally possible) or c) there's more to this story than simply shooting someone for texting.

My vote is for "a" and "b." I didn't talk about it initially because the subject of bully cops get me pretty heated pretty fast. Because of my bias I just assume he's spent most of his life telling people what to do and they do it (because he's the one allowed to bully with a gun). When that doesn't happen he gets offended and that quickly becomes rage. No big mystery to me (but I'm admittedly jaded).

Some people will say this validates why they carry a gun - to me it validates why I don't.

I wouldn't have wanted to be on either end of that argument and I wouldn't have wanted to get into a gun fight in a theater full of people with my wife in harms way. Even if I knew I was 100% defending myself and herself, I guarantee the fact the guys a retired police captain the odds and the lies would have been stacked against me. I'd almost rather take the bullet (and hopefully live) and my innocence be absolute than to go through the hell you'd have to go through to prove your innocence against a cop shooter.

I sound anti-gun in that rant, but people who know me know I'm anything but.

kelroy55
01-14-2014, 06:30 AM
What an idiot. Lock this guy up for life.

At 71 that won't be too long.

onthestrip
01-14-2014, 06:41 AM
I don't go to the movie theater very much but is it that big of a deal for someone to text during movie? I can see if phones were ringing, answering a call or just generally being loud and annoying but texting..? It's silent, what's the problem?

PennyQuilts
01-14-2014, 07:23 AM
Tick,tick, tick, tickitty, tick.....tick ... Tick, tick, tick. Extremely irritating once you notice it (they could turn off the sound and that would help). And it is just barn raised behavior. I noticed a huge difference in movie etiquette a year or two after home movies became widespread - some people started acting like a movie theater was their living room. Most people settle down once the movie starts because they get interested in the show, happily.

Texting isn't quite as annoying as cell phone talking in public. There is something about a one sided conversation that is too jarring to just tune out. 100 times more distracting than just a nearby conversation and I guess it had something to do with the flow of speech, dunno. Can't imagine shooting someone, though.

FritterGirl
01-14-2014, 07:23 AM
I don't go to the movie theater very much but is it that big of a deal for someone to text during movie? I can see if phones were ringing, answering a call or just generally being loud and annoying but texting..? It's silent, what's the problem?

Because you go to a movie theatre, and PAY your money to escape reality for a few hours. But when the lights go down and the movie starts, you want to get immerse yourself with what's happening on the big screen, not be distracted by the movement and glaring lights of someone else's smartphone. The room is dark, the phones are not. They stand out, even if put on reverse so someone is texting white characters on a darkened screen. If a person can't go two hours tops without texting, tweeting or checking their fb status, maybe going to the movies just isn't for them. It's about common courtesy to everyone who is in the theatre.

And yes, I feel the same way about talkers and loud popcorn crunchers.

BBatesokc
01-14-2014, 07:54 AM
I agree that texting can be as annoying as talking. The bright unexpected light is very distracting. If I wanted to be distracted while watching a movie I'd just watch it at home.

I'm pretty bad about saying something when someone is being overly annoying at a theater. We had a guy wearing his blue tooth head set awhile back and he was right in front of us. All I could see was this blue blinking light. I asked him to turn it off. He seemed annoyed, but complied (or else I was gonna cap his ass! *joke*).

Was at Tinsel Town awhile back and two people went and got staff members because some guy would not stop talking (very loudly) to his date. He was a very big guy and I think he was basically challenging people to say something. He was told to be quiet or leaver. He stood up and flipped off the audience before finally settling down. He wasn't near us so I could barely hear him, but he was really annoying those around him.

Then there's the whole foot next to your face from the guy sitting behind you with his feet on the empty seat next to you.

My pet peeves at the movies goes on and on.

kelroy55
01-14-2014, 08:07 AM
If everyone in the theater had a gun they could of prevented this, or so the NRA says.

Anonymous.
01-14-2014, 08:26 AM
At 71 that won't be too long.

This. Does being of an older age make people care less about the consequences of their actions?

Perhaps this man was at his "I don't care anymore" age range.


I think there needs to be more studies and research dedicated to the moral decay in elderly people, who are usually suffering in many categories of life. And consequently, help these elders go out on happier steps.

hoya
01-14-2014, 08:32 AM
I think there needs to be more studies and research dedicated to the moral decay in elderly people, who are usually suffering in many categories of life. And consequently, help these elders go out on happier steps.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/45/Loganlifeclock.jpg

Midtowner
01-14-2014, 08:36 AM
Texting is pretty annoying in theaters. Folks don't seem to realize how bright their phones are in a dark room. The last time I encountered it, I asked the guy to put it away and he did. Sometimes, all it takes is a little polite confrontation.

Who knew that could result in getting shot by a gun hugging wack job.

okcboomer
01-14-2014, 08:38 AM
Guns are the answer to everything. Duh. I mean, that inconsiderate douche won't ever disrupt people from watching their movie ever again. Boom.

sacolton
01-14-2014, 09:10 AM
This, and many other reasons, is why I built my own home theater. 100" screen. 1080p projector. 7.1 surround sound. Nice comfy reclining chairs with cup holders. Using custom PC running XBMC on two 4 Tb drives with all my movies at my fingertips. Popcorn machine too!

BBatesokc
01-14-2014, 09:26 AM
This, and many other reasons, is why I built my own home theater. 100" screen. 1080p projector. 7.1 surround sound. Nice comfy reclining chairs with cup holders. Using custom PC running XBMC on two 4 Tb drives with all my movies at my fingertips. Popcorn machine too!

This is our outdoor setup and we love it.....

16' screen.... 16' QuikScreen | Outdoor Theater System, Projector Screens - Backyard Theater Systems LLC (http://www.backyardtheatersystems.com/products/16-quikscreen.html)

Epson HD projector.... Epson Home Cinema 5030UB Projector (http://www.projectorpeople.com/Epson-Home-Cinema-5030UB/Projector/29099)

and outdoor speakers.

We even add heaters by our outdoor loveseats so we can do outdoor movies in the late fall and early spring.

We fire it up and the neighbors start migrating over like some Walker herd from the Walking Dead!

We even set it up a few evenings on the public balcony space at 444 in Deep Deuce and it was a big hit.

tomokc
01-14-2014, 09:49 AM
I wouldn't mind some type of software that disables phone use while you are in the theatre. Lobby phone use only.

My wife's job requires that she be available via cellphone at all times (unless prohibited by law, such as FCC prohibition on airline flights). This would make it where she/we couldn't see a movie. When she receives a call or text, she covers the screen and walks outside to address the issue. She does this in a few other places that also prohibit phone calls.

But to the larger issue of a movie theater paying for the installation & maintenance of this hardware & software, why should they have to do that? The policy is a reasonable one, clearly stated and easily understood. I haven't seen many infractions, but if management would immediately & decisively respond to complaints, then this will cease to be a issue. In this case, a customer complained, he was ignored, and he escalated things out of control.

Management doesn't need hardware & software, they simply need to enforce their own policy.

BBatesokc
01-14-2014, 09:54 AM
And soon it will be..... "please silence and dim your cell phones and smart watches"

kelroy55
01-14-2014, 10:02 AM
another school shooting :(

CNN) -- Two children were taken to a hospital after a report of a shooting at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, New Mexico, a spokeswoman for the hospital said Tuesday.

They were taken to Eastern New Mexico Medical Center, where their conditions were not immediately available, she said.

The state Department of Public Safety said in a news release that state and local police were called to the school at 8:11 a.m. and that "there are preliminary reports of injury," though their number and extent were not immediately known.

State Police Public Information Officer Emmanuel Gutierrez said the threat had been "alleviated" and children were being bused from the school.

The Roswell Police Department's Facebook page said a suspect has been apprehended.

PennyQuilts
01-14-2014, 10:18 AM
This. Does being of an older age make people care less about the consequences of their actions?

Perhaps this man was at his "I don't care anymore" age range.


I think there needs to be more studies and research dedicated to the moral decay in elderly people, who are usually suffering in many categories of life. And consequently, help these elders go out on happier steps.

Thus speaks youth. Seventy-one does NOT feel like you are on death's door. It feels a bit like 45 with more aches and pains. Now, he might have a terminal illness but it hasn't been my experience that such an event triggers homicidal behavior.

And moral decay? Are you serious?

Besides, every study I've ever seen says that people in their golden years are significantly happier than thirty somethings. That's an odd world view you've got there, bubba. :)

Just the facts
01-14-2014, 10:18 AM
If everyone in the theater had a gun they could of prevented this, or so the NRA says.

'If the texter had a gun he might still be alive, or he could have just done what the theater asks - and put his phone away. I'm not saying texting in a movie is punishable by the death penalty but it is pretty clear that he didn't think the rules applied to him, and sometime people with that attitude have bad things happen to them. If people would just do what they are supposed to do and be courteous they can live a long time.

Just the facts
01-14-2014, 10:49 AM
Sid - I was responding to this...


If everyone in the theater had a gun they could of prevented this, or so the NRA says.

So YES, if the texter, or his wife had a gun, he might still be alive. Here is the deal though, at some point no matter how right you think you are, when possible death enters the equation you have to revaluate just how right you want to be at that moment.

Just the facts
01-14-2014, 10:57 AM
Nope. I'm happy to be wrong and not live my life by the fall of a bullet. It's a pointless plight.

My comment went both ways. The gunman is also going to have live with his decision. If you ask him today if his decision was worth it I am sure he would say no, it wasn't.



If people would just do what they are supposed to do and be courteous they can live a long time.

jerrywall
01-14-2014, 10:59 AM
On a related note...

Man, 77, Busted For Walmart Checkout Rage | The Smoking Gun (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/walmart-express-lane-rage-675432)

Anonymous.
01-14-2014, 11:13 AM
Thus speaks youth. Seventy-one does NOT feel like you are on death's door. It feels a bit like 45 with more aches and pains. Now, he might have a terminal illness but it hasn't been my experience that such an event triggers homicidal behavior.

And moral decay? Are you serious?

Besides, every study I've ever seen says that people in their golden years are significantly happier than thirty somethings. That's an odd world view you've got there, bubba. :)



This is why I said there needs to be more studies and research dedicated to this. There has already been some, and specifically one that looked at even people in their 60s. But there is not enough evidence pointed at this, which is the entire premise to my post earlier.

Just put yourself in someone who is 70+ years old, dementia setting in, whose family doesn't visit him in his assisted living home, and doesn't understand modern technology... Now how much easier is it for this person to commit a crime over someone younger (for this example, in their 40s)?

These are the questions we should ask, IMO.

jerrywall
01-14-2014, 11:26 AM
I think the common thread isn't age... but FLORIDA. Can we cut it off into the ocean yet?

PennyQuilts
01-14-2014, 11:26 AM
OMG - dementia settling in at age 71? Assisted living? It can happen but it isn't typical. Seventy-one???? This guy was out at the movies. I don't know anyone that age who isn't out and about living their life like anyone else unless they are seriously ill. The kind of debilitation you seem to be concerned about is about a decade further down the line and even then, most old folks are doing well until about two years before they die. Plenty of people - probably most - who die in their early seventies were either very ill with some chronic ailment or they died pretty suddenly and were healthy up till then.

PennyQuilts
01-14-2014, 11:32 AM
I don't mean to pick on you and after this, I'll stop. I recall when I was in my twenties telling my father in law that if I could just live long enough to get my kids raised I'd die happy. He shot back that he suspected that when that day came about, I'd be renegotiating with God. :). It is tricky to get a feel for how older people see the world if you've never been that age. Here's a link of stats concerning the elderly just for giggles. Resident Profile (http://www.ahcancal.org/ncal/resources/Pages/ResidentProfile.aspx)

Just the facts
01-14-2014, 12:04 PM
I think the common thread isn't age... but FLORIDA. Can we cut it off into the ocean yet?

We don't need to cut Florida off but maybe we could ban New Yorkers from retiring here. :).

kevinpate
01-14-2014, 12:19 PM
Not to worry JTF. If we decide to float FL on its merry way, we'll keep the panhandle section and give you enough time to make it there.

Mel
01-14-2014, 12:53 PM
My wife's job requires that she be available via cellphone at all times (unless prohibited by law, such as FCC prohibition on airline flights). This would make it where she/we couldn't see a movie. When she receives a call or text, she covers the screen and walks outside to address the issue. She does this in a few other places that also prohibit phone calls.

But to the larger issue of a movie theater paying for the installation & maintenance of this hardware & software, why should they have to do that? The policy is a reasonable one, clearly stated and easily understood. I haven't seen many infractions, but if management would immediately & decisively respond to complaints, then this will cease to be a issue. In this case, a customer complained, he was ignored, and he escalated things out of control.

Management doesn't need hardware & software, they simply need to enforce their own policy.

Your wife sounds like a polite Lady. I wish everyone would behave that way but so many people live in a bubble of self importance. I am planning to see "Lone Survivor" this weekend. At the new Penn Square Theatre of course. The seats power back and just about all you see is the screen.

Stan Silliman
01-14-2014, 03:52 PM
At 71 that won't be too long.

Hey, that's my age. Don't be so wishful.

kevinpate
01-14-2014, 04:14 PM
FWIW, 71 is the new 50. Get used to it.

Stan Silliman
01-14-2014, 04:18 PM
Rewrite Casablanca:

"Of all the crazy states, all the wacko places in the world Mr. Gun could've walked in, he walked into mine.
He came in with your displaced Yankees, you're self obsessed druggies, your homophobic rent-a-cop wannabes
and your good ol' boys who can't stand the carpetbaggers grabbin' all your swampland.

Yeah, Mr. Gun, you're right at home in my phallic shaped state. You and your holder can occupy your little piece
of paradise, blast off at guys with their loud boom boxes and teach lessons to guys disturbing us in all our theaters
because you walked into my gin joint of a state. I might be crazy but I'm going to make it legal to use you however you want."

Then the fog lifts, Bogey is talking to his gun, a plane taxis up out of fog, door opens, stair ramp lowers and Tim Tebow descends.