Florida moviegoer shot dead during argument over texting

[News_Editor]

WESLEY CHAPEL, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) -- A moviegoer was killed at a Florida movie theater on Monday when a retired police officer pulled out a handgun and opened fire during an argument over texting, sheriff's officials said. The suspected gunman was taken into custody.

The incident happened at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time on Monday when a single gunshot was fired at the Cobb Grove 16 Movie Theatre in Wesley Chapel, a census-designated place in Pasco County near the city of Tampa. It occurred as approximately 25 people were waiting for the war film "Lone Survivor" to begin.

Melanie Snow, a spokeswoman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, identified the suspect as retired Tampa Police Department officer Curtis Reeves who was going to see "Lone Survivor" with his wife. Sitting in front of him was another couple, identified as Chad Oulson and his wife Nichole.

"Detectives say Chad Oulson was using his cell phone during the previews before the film started and Mr. Reeves asked him to stop several times," Snow said. Reeves then left the theater and returned to his seat a short time later, after which Oulson asked him if he had been reported to theater management.

"A verbal altercation ensued and Mr. Reeves pulled out a handgun, shooting Chad Oulson in the chest. One shot was fired," the spokeswoman said. Nichole, who had placed her hand over her husband as the argument escalated, received an injury to her hand when Reeves fired the shot.

The gunman was detained by an off-duty Sumter County deputy while two off-duty nurses tried to render aid to Chad, but he later died of his injuries after being airlifted to a Tampa-area hospital. Reeves was later booked into the Land O Lakes detention center, where he will face a charge of second degree homicide.

Laura McElroy, a spokeswoman for the Tampa Police Department, said Reeves had retired from the department in September 1993 with the rank of Captain. "He was instrumental in establishing the department's first Tactical Response Team," she said. "We are not aware of any contact with the department since his departure more than 20 years ago."

Cobb Theatres, which owns the movie theater in Wesley Chapel, said the company's management was "deeply saddened" by Monday's shooting. "This was an isolated altercation between two guests that escalated unexpectedly," the company said in a statement, adding that it was actively working with investigators.

(Copyright 2014 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[Scott]

A troll post has been removed.

[ukrules]

Wow, second degree in the land of the free.

[Chicog]

Without the firearm this would most probably have been fisticuffs at worst.

How very sad.

Edited January 14, 2014 by Chicog

[mumjokmok]

dam_n here I was thinking this article was about the revolutionary to save humanity. Just sad men fighting, again leads to tragedy with a gun. Wish the Yanks had glorified headbutts as much as the Brits, would have saved so many lives....

Edited January 14, 2014 by mumjokmok

[Steely Dan]

They should ban texting.

[Bung]

Luckily he had his gun at hand, how would he have been able to settle the dispute otherwise? It's not like he could have moved seats or something. God bless America.

[Credo]

Going to the movies seems to be dangerous in the US. First Colorado and now Florida.

[stedyedy]

They should ban texting.

And it was at start of movies during adverts movie had'nt even started no wonder the u.s goverment is enforcing laws for gun controls,to much volatile looneys walking around with firearms.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited January 14, 2014 by stedyedy

[A1Str8]

It's a problem that a gun license can be issued to b_tches too.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Briggsy]

This is Florida. The retired cop did nothing wrong. He is legally entitiled to stand his ground.

However since the victim was neither black nor poor he will probably have to suffer some consequences.

Who takes a loaded gun to a luxury cinema? The mind boggles.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Briggsy

[boomerangutang]

Road rage in L.A. - now 'movie rage' in Florida.

If the cop (retired or not) had done that dastardly deed in Thailand, he might be put in jail, but a short time later, he'd be let out the side door, one night, to skip off free.

[lomatopo]

This is Florida. The retired cop did nothing wrong. He is legally entitiled to stand his ground.

This is correct, although given the geriatric population in the Sunshine State, the statute might be more appropriately named, "sit your ground".

That said, Mr. Reeves has a right to defend himself with deadly force, since he feared for his life, as the deceased was brandishing buttered popcorn, and a cell-phone.

I suspect the gun/SyG lobby will provide a robust legal team for the accused, and he might end up with a few months incarceration at most, if that.

[Chicog]

Oh yes, the NRA will be sending their best legal team for this puppy.

[Credo]

In the meantime, the number of texts being sent from movie theatres has probably dropped significantly.

[Asiantravel]

Not so long ago it would have been the retired cop that would have intervened to try to calm things down and bring some common sense to this kind of situation…………………

what with this kind of trend and KnockOut , America has some real social problems

Edited January 15, 2014 by Asiantravel

[F430murci]

I feel much safer knowing that gun laws permit gun permit citizens or off duty cops to pack heat in movie theaters so that they are there to gun down mass murders that may kick door down and shoot up a theatre.

[Chicog]

I feel much safer knowing that gun laws permit gun permit citizens or off duty cops to pack heat in movie theaters so that they are there to gun down mass murders that may kick door down and shoot up a theatre.

Or shoot each other in the dark.

Or shoot people who throw popcorn.

[F430murci]

I feel much safer knowing that gun laws permit gun permit citizens or off duty cops to pack heat in movie theaters so that they are there to gun down mass murders that may kick door down and shoot up a theatre.

Or shoot each other in the dark.

Or shoot people who throw popcorn.

I mea seriously, who is going to protect us normal folks that don't live in fear and need guns from the psychos with permits or the PTSD cops and military guys packing heat and going off half cocked.

[NeverSure]

Everything in life worth having has risks. Airplanes, scooters in Thailand, driving in Thailand, a high gun murder rate in Thailand, skydiving..

Some people who aren't puzzies think that the risk of owning guns is also a freedom, and that it's worth the risk.

Absolute freedom of speech, of the press, and gun ownership are all freedoms.

Freedom isn't free.

Some disapprove of America and guess what? We don't want you here and if you don't believe me, just try to get a green card. You aren't welcome here.

See ya in Thailand where your odds of being murdered by a gun are much higher than they are in America.

[ukrules]

Some disapprove of America and guess what? We don't want you here and if you don't believe me, just try to get a green card. You aren't welcome here.

Do you realise that there are people who don't approve of the US and who would never go there by choice and never be in a situation where they need a 'green card' whatever that may be.

[NeverSure]

Some disapprove of America and guess what? We don't want you here and if you don't believe me, just try to get a green card. You aren't welcome here.

Do you realise that there are people who don't approve of the US and who would never go there by choice and never be in a situation where they need a 'green card' whatever that may be.

Yes, but they sure have plenty to say about it, as if it was any of their business, now don't they?

I think it's penis envy.

[stedyedy]

This is Florida. The retired cop did nothing wrong. He is legally entitiled to stand his ground.

However since the victim was neither black nor poor he will probably have to suffer some consequences.

Who takes a loaded gun to a luxury cinema? The mind boggles.

Ok throw popcorn at me so I can take your head off with my sawn off hah justice right.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[fifthcolumn]

Mu aunt lives in Boca, we went to this very theatre some years back.

Lots of old, annoying New Yorkers all over the place. Can't say this guy had it comming though, kinda harsh. But only a little bit.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies deleted.

[jackr]

If this was here, the ex cop wouldn't even be in custody.

[iancnx]

This just reinforces the fact that there are lunatics all around the world. Compared to the atrocities perpetrated against innocent unarmed people all over, the crime rate in Thailand seems to me to be right at the low end of the scale. Having lived and worked in dozens of different countries on all continents I have never felt safer. Sorry for the poor boy that got killed in cold blood, and sorry for his poor wife who watched him die, To the poster who said the gunman had a right to stand his ground and commit a murder because he was in Florida. All I have to say to that is you are a very very sad person with evidently no humanity. Move to Somalia, DRC or the Sudan, you'll love it there buddy, but no Micky Mouse or Uncle Sam to protect you in any of those places, and no freshly squeezed orange juice!

[Chicog]

This just reinforces the fact that there are lunatics all around the world. Compared to the atrocities perpetrated against innocent unarmed people all over, the crime rate in Thailand seems to me to be right at the low end of the scale. Having lived and worked in dozens of different countries on all continents I have never felt safer. Sorry for the poor boy that got killed in cold blood, and sorry for his poor wife who watched him die, To the poster who said the gunman had a right to stand his ground and commit a murder because he was in Florida. All I have to say to that is you are a very very sad person with evidently no humanity. Move to Somalia, DRC or the Sudan, you'll love it there buddy, but no Micky Mouse or Uncle Sam to protect you in any of those places, and no freshly squeezed orange juice!

Yes, but the countries you mention do not attempt to portray themselves as "civilised".

[Credo]

I don't know that the US tries to portray itself as a 'civilized' country. It's just a lot of others who try to portray it as an uncivilized country.

[Chicog]

I don't know that the US tries to portray itself as a 'civilized' country. It's just a lot of others who try to portray it as an uncivilized country.

I would consider the US to be a civilised country other than the fact that it throws guns around like confetti and seems happy to accept mass shootings as an acceptable price for the right to walk around being a macho gun-toting cock.