Florida Man Is Shot to Death for Texting During Movie Previews

[dainthomas]

The problem is you, not the people around you.

All those young bucks with their Twittergram and Facechat need to get off my lawn before they get a face full of buckshot.

SpatiallyAware:

 

[Exophase]

I wonder what the reaction would be if the old man threw the popcorn and the texter shot the gun. I get the feeling the same people saying that the texter shouldn't have been bullying a helpless old man would instead be saying that the old man went overboard harassing someone over something petty. And that you shouldn't make a big deal over people texting because they could end up shooting you.

 

[Daverino]

I believe the old adage was, "If we outlaw guns, only the criminals will have guns."

The new one is, "If we can shoot people based on fear alone, cowards will do all the shooting."

 

[Zorba]

??

Do you go around spitting on people?

Do you accost old men in movie theaters and throw popcorn at them?


I live in a VERY gun friendly state, and I have never once in my life been worried at all about someone shooting me.

But, I'm not a raging asshole that goes around starting confrontations. Based on your behaviour in this forum, you clearly are one of those people.

So, I can definitely understand why you are worried about getting shot. But... Take away the gun, and you still have knives.. Bats... Fists....

The problem is you, not the people around you.

It generally takes two people to keep an argument going. Nothing in the story says the old man did anything to diffuse or remove himself from the situation, so he is at least as guilty as the victim in escalating the situation.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

It generally takes two people to keep an argument going. Nothing in the story says the old man did anything to diffuse or remove himself from the situation, so he is at least as guilty as the victim in escalating the situation.

He left, tried to find a manager, and by all accounts it seems as if young buck got extremely upset about that which was the primary impetus for the argument.

Again, not saying the old man bears no blame.... I am merely pointing out that if you have something to lose (Wife, kids, whatever) then it might not a good idea to (even legally) intentionally provoke a confrontation with someone.


And that's what young buck did... Provoked the old man. And unfortunately he got shot for it. Somehow I doubt this was young buck's first confrontation.

 

[umbrella39]

I am really curious what the Spidey account thinks about this case, quick, someone log in and let us know... STAT Good shoot?

 

[sze5003]

Well that's life, people will provoke you, they will be assholes, they will start problems, can't go around shooting everyone. In big cities this is common everyday behaviour (people being rude, disrespectful, aholes, whatever).

 

[irishScott]

Aren't gun control advocates constantly arguing that only law enforcement should have guns, on the basis that they're "qualified"? Well an ex-police captain has your qualification right here...

Here's hoping he's charged with manslaughter at least.

 

[Oldgamer]

Well, the guy deserved it! Good thing the retired officer brought his gun to the FUCKING MOVIE THEATER!

I'm sure all of this could have been prevented had the guy had his own gun or at least some other "good guy with a gun" was present!

Gun problems? This nation doesn't have a gun problem! It's got a stupid, crazy, mother fucker, problem...there are too many of them (they will chime in shortly).

LOL

+ 1000 times on this!

 

[irishScott]

I believe the old adage was, "If we outlaw guns, only the criminals will have guns."

The new one is, "If we can shoot people based on fear alone, cowards will do all the shooting."

Yeah, I don't see that last one catching on. All defensive shootings are based on fear. The question is whether that fear is justified in any given incident.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I love how someone who is 43 years old qualifies as a 'young buck'

Spatially Demented is more like it.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Compared to a 70 year old man, 40 is a young buck. Particularly when you behave without any regard for yourself or wife's safety. It's more of a behaviour and attitude thing than an age issue.

 

[CitizenKain]

And that's what young buck did... Provoked the old man. And unfortunately he got shot for it. Somehow I doubt this was young buck's first confrontation.

I wonder how many more people that ex-cop murdered as well, he seems to like doing it. He's a coward, I can see why you like the guy so much.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I believe the old adage was, "If we outlaw guns, only the criminals will have guns."

The new one is, "If we can shoot people based on fear alone, cowards will do all the shooting."

The adage is more like "don't spit in people's faces or throw objects at people because you never know who might have a gun or knife and be willing to lose their freedom over using it"

 

[Exophase]

I love how someone who is 43 years old qualifies as a 'young buck'

Spatially Demented is more like it.

And I love how the texter is criticized as being confrontational when the old man was nagging him (as in, asking several times - no idea what his tone was like, but at the very least repetition is annoying) to stop texting during previews. How was it not the old man who started being confrontational? By Spatially Aware's logic he was acting recklessly because the texter could have snapped and shot him..

He left, tried to find a manager, and by all accounts it seems as if young buck got extremely upset about that which was the primary impetus for the argument.

You're clearly inserting your bias into your interpretation of the events, whether you realize it or not. The only details we've had is that the texter asked the old man if he went to tell on him. Nothing about tone, and we don't actually know if the texter re-initiated communication just because he asked the guy that. What detail we do have is that the old man was visibly angry when he returned.

This whole argument that the old man was trying to de-escalate the situation doesn't really hold up. If he was really looking to avoid continuing the argument he would have said he didn't go get management when asked - what's the point of even bringing it up if he failed to find anyone? If he was really looking to make it an issue he didn't have to deal with he would have actually waited for the manager and had him deal with it without talking to the texter again.

Everything you are saying about the texter applies to the old man too. He had a wife, presumably he had a family, the texter was just as likely to shoot him over this as he was. Which is to say, it should have been extremely unlikely.

The only thing that I can unequivocally pin on the texter as initiating is the texting itself. Which was during previews, and anyone who makes a fuss with someone texting during previews needs to relax.

 

[dmcowen674]

This was tragic.

Hopefully some good comes out of it that people at least put their phones on vibrate when they enter a theater.

I despise going to the movies because of all the phones going off all damn movie.

People suck.

 

[etrigan420]

I am really curious what the Spidey account thinks about this case, quick, someone log in and let us know... STAT Good shoot?

Based on another thread...I hope and pray that he is currently spending every waking moment reading up on just what this whole "net neutrality" thing is all about. :whiste:

 

[Daverino]

The adage is more like "don't spit in people's faces or throw objects at people because you never know who might have a gun or knife and be willing to lose their freedom over using it"

"Don't spit in people's faces or throw objects at people because you never know who might be such a sniveling, impotent pussified coward that they might kill you to justify their no-longer-working penis."

Well that's how I read your post, at least.

 

[Pray To Jesus]

Popcorn is responsible for 170-190 deaths each year! He was in mortal danger.

Since it's a gun thread, here's another amusing fact: more people are killed by popcorn each year than by the evil, deadly AR-15.

WTF popcorn scary

 

[Theb]

A Tampa, Florida police captain exclaimed 'I can't believe what I've done' after fatally shooting a fellow moviegoer because he was texting, a witness said.
Alan Hamilton, a Sumter County cop, was inside the West Chapel screening of Lone Survivor and watched as 71-year-old police officer Curtis Reeves shot dead 43-year-old Chad Oulson.
He and other witnesses gave their account of events in Pasco County court today as Reeves asks to be released on bail. He has been in jail without bond ever since the January 13 shooting.

Witness Mark Turner overheard the fight, and said he heard Oulson say: 'Do you mind, I've got a voicemail from by babysitter. I'd like to check to see that my daughter is okay.'
After more requests to stop using his phone, Oulson got up and threw a small bag of popcorn at Reeves, Turner said.
'Almost immediately the gun came out, the shot was fired and it went back into Mr. Reeves' lap,' Turner said.
Hamilton remembers Reeves yelling at his wife after the incident, after she said 'That was no cause to shoot anyone.'
'He leaned back around and stuck his finger out as to scold her and said, "You shut your [expletive] mouth and don't say another word,"' Hamilton testified.
Reeves officially plead not-guilty today to second-degree murder, with his defense lawyers arguing that Reeves was defending himself from Oulson, who committed battery by throwing an unknown object and a bag of popcorn at the older man.They also say Reeves is entitled to special legal protection because of his advanced age.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-exclaimed-I-believe-Ive-firing-pistol.html

Bail hearing underway and more details are coming out.

 

[ivwshane]

71 is considered "advanced age"?

Funny how the wife immediately knew that the pop corn wasn't a threat but the retired officer didn't.


More proof that the sooner these baby boomers die off the better society will be

 

[Exophase]

71 is considered "advanced age"?

Funny how the wife immediately knew that the pop corn wasn't a threat but retired officer didn't.

More proof that the sooner these baby boomers die off the better society will be

His behavior does sound hysterical and could have been influenced by some sort of age-related condition.. but for that to factor in the case I think they need to actually diagnose him with something and not just say he's old.

 

[HumblePie]

71 is considered "advanced age"?

Funny how the wife immediately knew that the pop corn wasn't a threat but the retired officer didn't.


More proof that the sooner these baby boomers die off the better society will be

Yep, looks like the ex-officer in this is going down for the count on this charge. I really don't see anything but jail time for him.

On a side note, the original guy was a fucking ass. If he needs to check voicemail messages then his ass needs to leave the theater to do so. Then throwing popcorn at someone for calling him out on his bitch ass behavior was showing how much an idiot/asshole he was.

And then the old guy had to do something truly stupid and shoot him. Both were idiots.

 

[Drako]

Yep, the shooter will be doing life, or what will be his life for this one.

Popcorn throwing dude did not deserve to get shot, but sometimes when you behave like an asshole, bad things happen. Plus the guy had a soul patch, so he was a douche bag.

 

[Exophase]

On a side note, the original guy was a fucking ass. If he needs to check voicemail messages then his ass needs to leave the theater to do so. Then throwing popcorn at someone for calling him out on his bitch ass behavior was showing how much an idiot/asshole he was.

Dude, it was during previews. Who is really this invested in previews? He made it clear he just wanted to check a message that could be important and be done, I think it's obvious he had no intention of using his phone during the movie. Yeah I know, people are going to say the previews were almost over. And maybe he could have left if he were still on the phone when the previews ended.

If I got what looked like an urgent text during previews I'd check it too. I'd do it discretely, I doubt anyone would really notice. But I'd want to know right away what's going on instead of having to leave the theater first, knowing that I wouldn't actually be disrupting anyone.

Sorry but Reeves sounds like a creep here, I don't know what kind of person gets all pissed off because someone was on his phone during previews out of concern for his daughter, over what could have been an emergency. I wonder if his wife passed out and he had to call 911 if he'd have been giving him shit for not leaving the theater first to do that too.

Then he proceeds in a way that's pretty much certain to impact his viewing of his precious previews more than Coulson was.