POLL: Protecting Movie Patrons From Shootings
First Aurora, now an incident at Regal Cinema in Crocker Park, has people talking about safety, weapons and how to protect movie-goers from 'Dark Knight' copycats.
Words like "disaster" and "tragedy" were used to describe what could have happened at Regal Cinema on Saturday night.
But, thanks to the actions of a cinema employee and an off-duty Westlake police officer working security, Scott A. Smith of North Ridgeville sits in jail on weapons charges after he was found to have a loaded 9MM Glock semiautomatic handgun, two more loaded magazines, and four knives on him as he sat in an empty theater.
The movie he was going to see? In a scary reminder of the Aurora, Colo., shootings, Smith had bought a ticket to see The Dark Knight Rises.
The Aurora shootings showed how vulnerable people are in movie theaters. Once the movie starts, it's dark, crowded and loud in there.
While Regal Cinema won't discuss specific security measures, it does have the right to search bags coming into the theater, and is cracking down on what sort of costumes and accessories movie fans can wear.
What should movie theater owners like Regal Cinema do to protect patrons? Take our poll and share your thoughts in the comments.
Chris M.
8:30 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
We need more laws limiting the types of guns, number of guns and number of bullets a person can own. Why does anyone need thousands of rounds of ammunition and so many guns? What if his house had caught fire?
Paul Grimm
8:51 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
The NRA needs to call for a ban on all movies.
Bruce Richardson
7:06 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Chris, the sad fact is that people who are likely to commit mass murder are not likely to obey gun laws. Murder is against the law but that didn't stop him. It is only the people who aren't really a threat that are likely to obey laws that would render them defenseless. These guys seem to be looking for "gun-free" zones.
How many rounds does a mass murderer use? How many guns can he carry?
A mass murderer would only need what he can carry. A few dozen rounds would probably keep an armed robber in business for years. Most bulk purchasers are target shooters, plinkers, and perhaps hunters. There is a cost advantage to buying in bulk when you use in bulk as with most things. The restrictions that you seem to want on ammunition would only affect people who aren't likely to do what that guy in Colorado did.
That theater did not allow carry licensed people to enter the theater with a weapon. Sadly, they would have been the only ones who might have been able to stop him. It would have been a nightmare for even a fully train police officer. It was dark and people were running every which way. But without the possibility of someone stopping him, he shot as many people as he wanted to shoot and then calmly walked out. It was like fish in a barrel.
Chris M.
9:41 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Still say we need sensible gun laws. I differ with Bloomberg on some things but when he says we need better gun control laws, he is absolutely right. I agree you should be able to own a gun to protect yourself, hunt, target shoot, etc. But turning your house into an arsenal with numerous guns, assault rifles, and thousands of rounds of ammo should be illegal. Here in Westlake, you're breaking the law if your dog barks too much or your cat is not on a leash. But you can turn your house into an arsenal and probably not be breaking a single law.