He got off easy

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_pasco/witnesses-describe-shooting-inside-cobb-theatres-grove-16-movies-in-wesley-chapel

"Reeves, 71, a former captain with Tampa Police was sitting behind Oulson and his wife, Nicole.  Detectives say Oulson, 43, was using his cell phone and Reeves asked him to stop several times, but Cummings said the argument intensified."

My position is that someone who is texting during a movie does not always deserve to die.  In general, simply chopping off the hands of the offending party is enough.  Given the publicity, and thus the potential for this incident to sit in the back of the minds of future potential offenders; and the fact that he was asked several times to stop fuckin texting, I'm going to call this one even.

[onan]

http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_pasco/witnesses-describe-shooting-inside-cobb-theatres-grove-16-movies-in-wesley-chapel

"Reeves, 71, a former captain with Tampa Police was sitting behind Oulson and his wife, Nicole.  Detectives say Oulson, 43, was using his cell phone and Reeves asked him to stop several times, but Cummings said the argument intensified."

My position is that someone who is texting during a movie does not always deserve to die.  In general, simply chopping off the hands of the offending party is enough.  Given the publicity, and thus the potential for this incident to sit in the back of the minds of future potential offenders; and the fact that he was asked several times to stop fuckin texting, I'm going to call this one even.

I have gotten into arguments with people and their cell phone usage during a movie.

I honestly can't understand how such a disconnect occurs. I have thought about buying a cell phone block device. They aren't that expensive and some have a range of several hundred feet. But, guess what. it is illegal to use them.

[jazmunda]

It was during the previews for fucks sake. That's only a knee capping offence.

[MV/Liberace!]

It was during the previews for fucks sake.

i think during the previews, you can do whatever you want.  during the movie, that's when things get serious.  he probably shot over the stress associated with assuming the guy would continue texting during the movie.

[McPhallus]

I have gotten into arguments with people and their cell phone usage during a movie.

I honestly can't understand how such a disconnect occurs. I have thought about buying a cell phone block device. They aren't that expensive and some have a range of several hundred feet. But, guess what. it is illegal to use them.

I can understand someone talking into a phone during a movie and deserving a little hot lead.  But texting?  Did he have the keyboard volume up so high that it was ringing in the trigger-happy ex-cop's ears?

[guildnavigator]

Great way to get out of a "chick flick"

[PB the Deplorable]

It's too easy to just not go to the movies anymore.  Fuck it.  Not worth the aggravation.

Same with ball games.  I'd rather go have Thai food or to a brewpub then find some live music

[UnscreenedCaller]

The story is even worse. The man who was killed has two young kids and was texting his little daughter during the previews.  I guess he and his wife were on a date night The ex-cop also had a history of making complaints in that theater. It sounds like he came in with a flea in his ear, expecting trouble and he started the fight. FFS, that's why they invented Netflix.

Don't go to the movies that often, but around here everyone texts or checks their emails during the previews and shuts down when the movie starts. None of that fusses me. My problem is with the local book club members who always seem to sit behind me and discuss, loudly, Seymour's latest colonoscopy. If a full turn around glare doesn't work, I get up and change seats. It rarely gets to that.

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

I can understand someone talking into a phone during a movie and deserving a little hot lead.  But texting?  Did he have the keyboard volume up so high that it was ringing in the trigger-happy ex-cop's ears?

When everything is dark, the cell phone screen becomes like a flashlight.  I think we've all had the experience of using it in that function at certain times. 

I've been in theatres where the seats are slightly staggered (so that you're not exactly behind someone's head), so the screen was visible and really distracting.  Never had anyone use one during the feature, though.  Guess I've been lucky.

[HorrorRetro]

It's too easy to just not go to the movies anymore.  Fuck it.  Not worth the aggravation.

I agree.  I go maybe once a year, if that.  I just can't handle the rudeness anymore. I have sound sensitivities, and the sound of the candy wrappers followed by people chomping and smacking on their popcorn makes me crazy. When I go, I wear earplugs until the movie starts. 

[DigitalPigSnuggler]

The story is even worse. The man who was killed has two young kids and was texting his little daughter during the previews.  I guess he and his wife were on a date night The ex-cop also had a history of making complaints in that theater. It sounds like he came in with a flea in his ear, expecting trouble and he started the fight. FFS, that's why they invented Netflix.

I was waiting here with my shot (of booze) to hear someone say that the shooter had a history.  It always seems to be that way -- someone nurses a grievance until the day when someone pushes it a little more than usual, and suddenly it's "get right" time.  For the guy with the gun, anyway.

There's a lot to this story that isn't forthcoming at this time.  If Mr. Foursquare was just texting his kid during the previews, why not humour the old fart and move off into the aisle or to the exit?  Why would an ex-cop drop the hammer on someone knowing it was a lock for M-2?  I'm sure that the facts will come out, long after everyone has lost interest.

[ItsOver]

And people wonder why I want to stay home and watch "Hogan's Heroes" on Me-TV.  At least Col. Klink isn't going to gun me down.

[jazmunda]

I agree.  I go maybe once a year, if that.  I just can't handle the rudeness anymore. I have sound sensitivities, and the sound of the candy wrappers followed by people chomping and smacking on their popcorn makes me crazy. When I go, I wear earplugs until the movie starts. 

Don't sit next to me in a movie then. My wife tells me off for trying to put as much popcorn in my mouth as humanly possible at one time. I can't help it. Salty snacks are just so addictive. If meth were salty snacks I would be Heisenbergs best customer.

[FightTheFuture]

I was waiting here with my shot (of booze) to hear someone say that the shooter had a history.  It always seems to be that way -- someone nurses a grievance until the day when someone pushes it a little more than usual, and suddenly it's "get right" time.  For the guy with the gun, anyway.

There's a lot to this story that isn't forthcoming at this time.  If Mr. Foursquare was just texting his kid during the previews, why not humour the old fart and move off into the aisle or to the exit?  Why would an ex-cop drop the hammer on someone knowing it was a lock for M-2?  I'm sure that the facts will come out, long after everyone has lost interest.

The  man shows clsssic signs of early stage dementia. I would be shocked if his attorney did not make that a central theme of his defense.

[Yorkshire pud]

The  man shows clsssic signs of early stage dementia. I would be shocked if his attorney did not make that a central theme of his defense.

Perfectly capable of being rational with a firearm then? You can't make it up.

[PB the Deplorable]

Perfectly capable of being rational with a firearm then? You can't make it up.

He seems to be shooting the right people

[Yorkshire pud]

He seems to be shooting the right people

I know you're not being serious. Unless of course you believe it was self defence? But the world is seriously fucked if murdering an unarmed man in a cinema because he was texting his three year old daughter (in the previews for christ's sake) is being defended. And even more fucked if he's suffering from dementia and in possession of a firearm; He wouldn't be allowed the fucking TV remote if he was my father.

[onan]

When everything is dark, the cell phone screen becomes like a flashlight.  I think we've all had the experience of using it in that function at certain times. 

I've been in theatres where the seats are slightly staggered (so that you're not exactly behind someone's head), so the screen was visible and really distracting.  Never had anyone use one during the feature, though.  Guess I've been lucky.

My last "severe" exchange came during the weekend opening of The Watchmen. It has been a little while. But that little conversation came to some pretty abusive language.

I really don't want to see anyone harmed but for god's sake, sometimes I think a good dousing in dog shit may be appropriate.

The phone texting thing has really curtailed my movie going. The only thing I have found effective is to leave the theater and demand my money back. It is a pain in the ass all around but as usual the goo heads win.

[onan]

I know you're not being serious. Unless of course you believe it was self defence? But the world is seriously fucked if murdering an unarmed man in a cinema because he was texting his three year old daughter (in the previews for christ's sake) is being defended. And even more fucked if he's suffering from dementia and in possession of a firearm; He wouldn't be allowed the fucking TV remote if he was my father.

Agreed his death was a tragedy. but come on, texting his three year old daughter... really? so three year olds read? oh goody parents should be shot for setting that dynamic up. And maybe previews are nothing to you, but I enjoy them, sadly sometimes more than the movie. If someone isn't bright enough to understand how distracting the light from a cell phone is in a dark room they are potentially subhuman to begin with.

On to the shooter. I believe it is illegal to carry a firearm into a theater. And it doesn't take a professional to realize the guy is psychotic. It is an ugly and sad event.

[Falkie2013]

Agreed his death was a tragedy. but come on, texting his three year old daughter... really? so three year olds read? oh goody parents should be shot for setting that dynamic up. And maybe previews are nothing to you, but I enjoy them, sadly sometimes more than the movie. If someone isn't bright enough to understand how distracting the light from a cell phone is in a dark room they are potentially subhuman to begin with.

On to the shooter. I believe it is illegal to carry a firearm into a theater. And it doesn't take a professional to realize the guy is psychotic. It is an ugly and sad event.

Actually, it depends on the state. Its not illegal to carry one into a theater in Colorado or Texas as an example. It depends on carry laws and concealed permit laws as well.
But its not about the gun, its about the responisble vs. the irresponsible gun owner, as it clearly was in this case.
But altercations happen even without guns. In another Florida city a man fought with another man in a Walmart because the guy in front of him had too many items in the 20 items or less line. Products were being thrown at each other as the fiight escalated.
And crime can happen anywhere. I was walking to the bus yesterday when out of nowhere, one of our local police, stopped his 4x4, chased a guy down the street who was running from him with both hands in his pockets and refusing to remove them. I stood and started to call for help, when another policeman showed up. They cuffed the guy and took him away. I have no idea why he was held but I suspect it was due to drugs or he had a warrant. The guy was fighting the idea of being arrested and the cop had to sit on top of him in order to cuff him.

[UnscreenedCaller]

Agreed his death was a tragedy. but come on, texting his three year old daughter... really? so three year olds read? oh goody parents should be shot for setting that dynamic up. And maybe previews are nothing to you, but I enjoy them, sadly sometimes more than the movie. If someone isn't bright enough to understand how distracting the light from a cell phone is in a dark room they are potentially subhuman to begin with.

On to the shooter. I believe it is illegal to carry a firearm into a theater. And it doesn't take a professional to realize the guy is psychotic. It is an ugly and sad event.

But doesn't it come down to someone was killed for a breach of social etiquette?

All the circumstances aren't out, but it doesn't seem unreasonable for a parent to text a young child's sitter or grandparent if the child was upset that they'd gone somewhere without her. I'm guessing he didn't want to use the phone to call her so he texted. Should he have stepped out into the lobby? Of course, that would have been the right thing to do, but he didn't deserve to die.  I see incidents of road rage every day on the way to work. Someone cuts someone else off and the chase begins through traffic. A few months ago someone threw a coffee container at another car; it narrowly missed my windshield, and we've had lethal road rage shootings here in the city. I don't know what the answer is, beyond for everyone to take a chill pill. but clearly this was a case of someone who came to the cinema with an attitude and someone else who was clueless. Tragic.

[Falkie2013]

But doesn't it come down to someone was killed for a breach of social etiquette?

All the circumstances aren't out, but it doesn't seem unreasonable for a parent to text a young child's sitter or grandparent if the child was upset that they'd gone somewhere without her. I'm guessing he didn't want to use the phone to call her so he texted. Should he have stepped out into the lobby? Of course, that would have been the right thing to do, but he didn't deserve to die.  I see incidents of road rage every day on the way to work. Someone cuts someone else off and the chase begins through traffic. A few months ago someone threw a coffee container at another car; it narrowly missed my windshield, and we've had lethal road rage shootings here in the city. I don't know what the answer is, beyond for everyone to take a chill pill. but clearly this was a case of someone who came to the cinema with an attitude and someone else who was clueless. Tragic.

At the theater I used to frequent you're not supposed to use a cell phone in the theatre once the previews start. The problem is that some idiots will refuse to stop calling or texting even after managers have asked them to stop and in some cases the police had to be called because that person became belligerent about it.
There's no excuse for killing someone for texting during a movie unless that person pulled a weapon. As I undestand it, the guy hit him with popcorn, hardly a weapon, even the caramel corn kind.

[PB the Deplorable]

There was a letter to the editor of the entertainment section in the local Sunday newspaper years ago, maybe around 1990 or so.  It was priceless and always stuck with me. 

She said she was a somewhat recent immigrant from Europe, and that she had taken her daughter to see a movie.  She wrote the letter to the editor about how she and her daughter were talking and laughing all through the movie and how everyone was being mean to her telling her to be quiet, shut up, etc. - she didn't of course - and she couldn't believe how rude everyone had been.

The letters that were printed the following week in response were hysterical - they really raked her over.  She was fortunate this was before there were online editions of the paper with those sections where anyone could post comments.

[onan]

But doesn't it come down to someone was killed for a breach of social etiquette?

All the circumstances aren't out, but it doesn't seem unreasonable for a parent to text a young child's sitter or grandparent if the child was upset that they'd gone somewhere without her. I'm guessing he didn't want to use the phone to call her so he texted. Should he have stepped out into the lobby? Of course, that would have been the right thing to do, but he didn't deserve to die.  I see incidents of road rage every day on the way to work. Someone cuts someone else off and the chase begins through traffic. A few months ago someone threw a coffee container at another car; it narrowly missed my windshield, and we've had lethal road rage shootings here in the city. I don't know what the answer is, beyond for everyone to take a chill pill. but clearly this was a case of someone who came to the cinema with an attitude and someone else who was clueless. Tragic.

It isn't much of a risk to state the guy didn't in any way deserve to die. I think that is pretty much self evident.

But I do think simply calling it a breach of etiquette is a bit weak. It is a willful disregard for others pursuit of happiness and their property. If I disrupt your dining experience in a restaurant, I can be charged with several crimes, including simple assault. I don't see texting in a theater any differently. I wish I were Hank Moody.

[FightTheFuture]

I think it is safe to say that under normal circumstances the person texting during the movie's coming attractions segment would still be alive. However, the shooter probably suffered from  diminished mental capacity, possibly early dementia, or alzheimers. I base my -- purely speculative -- opinion on the fact that the shooter  is known as a stellar member of the community with a distinguished career as a senior law enforcement officer behind him.

Something  went dramatically haywire in the shooter's cognitive reasoning for him to act in the manner in which he is accused.

The victim was a Navy veteran, proud father, and beloved husband. Without question, an incredibly sad tragedy.

[UnscreenedCaller]

It isn't much of a risk to state the guy didn't in any way deserve to die. I think that is pretty much self evident.

But I do think simply calling it a breach of etiquette is a bit weak. It is a willful disregard for others pursuit of happiness and their property. If I disrupt your dining experience in a restaurant, I can be charged with several crimes, including simple assault. I don't see texting in a theater any differently. I wish I were Hank Moody.

It may well be I have a higher threshold for public rudeness as it's a way of life here. We all have our trigger points, I know I have mine. It will be interesting to hear if the ex-cop had a history of complaints at the cinema and felt he wasn't taken seriously. We can ever know where another person is emotionally at any moment, whether they are at a personal breaking point.  It's a cautionary tale, and my sympathies lie with his wife and the man's familly.


Lol, Falkie! Caramel popcorn would just stick, the butter and salt in the other will kill indirectly.

[Yorkshire pud]

I think it is safe to say that under normal circumstances the person texting during the movie's coming attractions segment would still be alive. However, the shooter probably suffered from  diminished mental capacity, possibly early dementia, or alzheimers. I base my -- purely speculative -- opinion on the fact that the shooter  is known as a stellar member of the community with a distinguished career as a senior law enforcement officer behind him.

Something  went dramatically haywire in the shooter's cognitive reasoning for him to act in the manner in which he is accused.

The victim was a Navy veteran, proud father, and beloved husband. Without question, an incredibly sad tragedy.

Oh that's okay then. Phew. What someone used to be has nothing to do with now. If he's incapable of making reasoned decisions he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a firearm. No doubt you'll trot out he should; and no doubt that he should also drive, or fly aircraft, or bomb disposal.. But mention guns and you cannot bring yourself to accept that there are certain people who shouldn't be allowed near them..Still it's okay, a family has lost a father and husband cos he was indiscreet, and some old twat lost his cool.

[FightTheFuture]

Oh that's okay then. Phew. What someone used to be has nothing to do with now. If he's incapable of making reasoned decisions he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a firearm. No doubt you'll trot out he should; and no doubt that he should also drive, or fly aircraft, or bomb disposal.. But mention guns and you cannot bring yourself to accept that there are certain people who shouldn't be allowed near them..Still it's okay, a family has lost a father and husband cos he was indiscreet, and some old twat lost his cool.

[Yorkshire pud]

Says it all! A man dies and all you can do is try to score some puerile point. I wonder if you'd have a different point of view if it was someone close to you who had been murdered in similar circumstances..Than again, probably not, a slave to what was written down 250 years ago (By men only-wonder how it would go these days?), rather than reality now.

[wr250]

Oh that's okay then. Phew. What someone used to be has nothing to do with now. If he's incapable of making reasoned decisions he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a firearm. No doubt you'll trot out he should; and no doubt that he should also drive, or fly aircraft, or bomb disposal.. But mention guns and you cannot bring yourself to accept that there are certain people who shouldn't be allowed near them..Still it's okay, a family has lost a father and husband cos he was indiscreet, and some old twat lost his cool.

although there are many who will willfully disregard any law in order to possess a weapon of choice. most guns used in a crime are illegally gained, either via black market, straw man purchases and/or outright theft. and although it will not do anything for the crime like this one, legalizing drugs with domestic manufacture/distribution will go probably 75% of the way to stopping gun deaths, of course at the expense of drug overdoses, but we have them anyways.