FL - Chad Oulson, 43, killed in Wesley Chapel theater shooting, 13 Jan 2014 *Former LE arrest*

kaki said:

I agree...OMG. this story is insane! I almost do wonder if he has some dementia/alzheimers. I have a pet peeve of seeing people texting while driving..but yea..if they are going to do something annoying in the movie theater for me..texting is the least offensive.

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Omg I hate texting and driving, the ones who speed up on me then pass me. Honestly I just really hate the way people drive. We joke everyday when I get to work that I made it without a felony. But in reality I have to do it everyday and I just ignore and go. What can you do. It's life.

This guy is a danger to the public and needs to be incarcerated away from public contact.

I can not believe that people showed up to support him. He is a criminal. And he should not see the light of day again.

Blondie in Spokane said:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...preparing-argue-shot-couple-self-defense.html

'It could have been us': Young couple who were threatened for texting in cinema by the ex-police captain, 71, who shot man dead"

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Wow! Did he go to the movies every day? Sounds like he considered himself the cellphone police. All those years of being an authority figure maybe he felt disrespected. Jmo

Ciao

dh109977 said:

What happened to the days when 2 men had a disagreement and "took it outside"? Everything these days seems to end in gunfire and death.

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It just seems that neither side wants to give an inch these days and don't even have the verbal communication skills to settle their disagreement in a peaceful manner.

But I do have to say on more and more on social media sites I see posters are completely bent out of shape and so outraged about people texting and talking on their cell phones in movie houses.

So will this become the next trend and turn into 'data rage' just like 'road rage' has gone off the deep end too. It seems so many in our society can ignite into a full on rage over the slightest thing so I don't think this will be the last case and think it will happen again.

They even mentioned that they go to see the upcoming previews and that is as important to them as wanting to see the movie and that also has been ruined. Here where I live the theater makes it clear that no one is to be on their phone in any manner and it is to be cutoff before entering.

From what I have read this particular theater had a posted rule of no cell phone use but that sure doesn't excuse this murderer either. What he did is just reprehensible and shocking.

When I watched his hearing yesterday he seemed 'off' to me. He of all people should know how the justice system works but he seemed confused when the Judge told him he did not have to speak openly and could speak to his attorney instead.

We have had some very crazy cases where cops walk........I hope this is not one of them. I never say a cop is going to be punished anymore because often in court it just doesn't happen.

Texting in a theater is certainly no reason for anyone to murder another. That is just ridiculous but I do think people should be more respectful of others in general than they seem to be nowadays.

All five of our adult children are avid movie goers but they make sure their cell phones are turned off before entering the theater because they have respect for others around them.

imo

Jamira said Reeves even followed her as she stood to go to the bathroom before turning his attention to other texting moviegoers and screaming at them.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-shot-couple-self-defense.html#ixzz2qVGhYgZq
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


Why is the Daily Mail the only one to report that he was screaming at other moviegoers at the previous encounter? Not one other article included that little bit of information. I don't know if I always believe their reporting. jmo and all that

I don't go to the movies often but IMO being disturbed by texting is way over the top. Come on, we've all had people get up to use the restroom and block our view and I don't see how someone texting could be any more distracting than someone's rear end in my face. Personally, I turn the ringer off on my phone when the reminder is shown during the previews. IMO, Reeves is a control freak with a short fuse and because of him and his horrifically poor impulse control, a little girl will have to grow up without her daddy. So very sad. I hope the victim's family sues Reeves for everything he's got.

That is the kicker. It was during the previews..

It reminds me of Youve got Mail where Greg Kinear is talking to Meg ryan in a movie during the previews and he gets shushed..
He says.. " A hot dog is singing.. you need quiet while a hot dog is singing??"

That is what gets me. The movie was not even started. I think this guy was looking for a fight and was going to make one so he could use his gun.

Good grief...another Stand Your Ground defense attempt. Guess you'd better not go anywhere public if you have Skittles or popcorn. They are such deadly weapons you know. Only in Florida. SYG needs to be appealed ASAP.

No it doesn't. Another? When was it first used?

Has Reeve's wife spoke out? I know I saw the victims wife on the news returning home. But she didn't comment. I don't blame her. But Reeve's wife not talking is very telling.

'Why didn't he just sit somewhere else?' Sheriff rips apart 'Stand Your Ground' defense of ex-cop who shot dead father for texting in movie theater"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...p-shot-dead-father-texting-movie-theater.html

"The Sheriff leading the investigation into the cinema shooting which happened after a row over texting has told MailOnline there is no chance of a Stand Your Ground defence, saying, ‘It was an empty movie theatre. If he was scared why didn’t he move seats?’."

"Sheriff Chris Nocco has completely dismissed shooter Curtis Reeves’ claims that he gunned down Chad Oulson because he feared for his safety and said there is no way he can use Florida’s controversial self-defence law."

"He is convinced the retired cop, 71, simply lost his temper after married father-of-one Oulson refused to stop texting and then threw a bag of popcorn at his killer’s face."

While this shooting most definitely sounds unjustified I still find the behavior of BOTH to be rather astounding.

If a 16 year old kid did this (insisted on texting, got into a mouthy argument and THEN threw a bag of popcorn at the person he was arguing with) it would be one thing but this was a 43 year old married man with a wife and child! He was texting his 22 month old daughter (yes, I am sure that was an engaging two way conversation). Sorry but the victim's behavior was over the top too!

Meanwhile his wife is right there watching this escalate until popcorn is thrown in the face of an older man? Both of these guys are a bit off balanced if you ask me!

Sonya610 said:

While this shooting most definitely sounds unjustified I still find the behavior of BOTH to be rather astounding.

If a 16 year old kid did this (insisted on texting, got into a mouthy argument and THEN threw a bag of popcorn at the person he was arguing with) it would be one thing but this was a 43 year old married man with a wife and child! He was texting his 22 month old daughter (yes, I am sure that was an engaging two way conversation). Sorry but the victim's behavior was over the top too!

Meanwhile his wife is right there watching this escalate until popcorn is thrown in the face of an older man? Both of these guys are a bit off balanced if you ask me!

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They later said it was the babysitter he was texting. During previews. The older man instigated the situation. Frankly he is lucky he only had popcorn thrown at him. I am sure he wasn't nice and calm. He stormed out of the theater. He clearly has issues and there is no excuse for his behavior.

Here's the problem - if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Same with guns. The question has been asked, "what happened to people just taking it outside when they have beef?" Well, if you've got a gun, everything looks like a situation where use of it is warranted. Someone's texting bothering you? Shoot. Someone's loud music bothering you? Shoot. Someone looks suspicious? Shoot. You get hit with popcorn? Deadly weapon, must shoot.

And the first person who responds that if we take away guns from "responsible gun owners" (and really, on paper, this guy looks "responsible", as I'm sure many others who have shot in anger, or had their guns shoot someone accidentally do) then only the outlaws will have guns, well my answer to that is, having grown up in the inner city, I'd much rather take my chances with the outlaws. Because most of the time they're only shooting at other outlaws, not at random people just out trying to watch a movie and texting their babysitter. And even the most trigger happy criminal is probably gonna beat your arse down with his fists and feet - which you stand a much better chance of surviving than a gun - before he shoots on the off chance you decide to have words with him. :twocents:

Sonya610 said:

While this shooting most definitely sounds unjustified I still find the behavior of BOTH to be rather astounding.

If a 16 year old kid did this (insisted on texting, got into a mouthy argument and THEN threw a bag of popcorn at the person he was arguing with) it would be one thing but this was a 43 year old married man with a wife and child! He was texting his 22 month old daughter (yes, I am sure that was an engaging two way conversation). Sorry but the victim's behavior was over the top too!

Meanwhile his wife is right there watching this escalate until popcorn is thrown in the face of an older man? Both of these guys are a bit off balanced if you ask me!

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Wow, really? Lol as someone else said, dude is lucky he only got a bag of popcorn thrown at him. Up here, he wouldnt have been shot for throwing popcorn, he'd have either been laughed at or got punched. Both preferable to being shot dead.

Gardenlady said:

Up here, he wouldnt have been shot for throwing popcorn, he'd have either been laughed at or got punched. Both preferable to being shot dead.

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Brings to mind the phrase "Don't start fights with old people, they won't fight back; they'll just kill you." to mind.

Fact is BOTH of these men made a LOT of bad decisions, one is being made out to be a "saint" because he is dead. The texter could have gotten theater employees involved, he could have MOVED his seat, he could have STOPPED texting but instead he chose to KEEP screaming and then threw a bag of popcorn in the other man's face.

It doesn't justify him getting shot dead BUT he certainly had an active role in escalating the confrontation. They were BOTH rude and out of control, sheesh there were OTHER people there trying to watch the movie!

Sonya610 said:

Brings to mind the phrase "Don't start fights with old people, they won't fight back; they'll just kill you." to mind.

Fact is BOTH of these men made a LOT of bad decisions, one is being made out to be a "saint" because he is dead. The texter could have gotten theater employees involved, he could have MOVED his seat, he could have STOPPED texting but instead he chose to KEEP screaming and then threw a bag of popcorn in the other man's face.

It doesn't justify him getting shot dead BUT he certainly had an active role in escalating the confrontation. They were BOTH rude and out of control, sheesh there were OTHER people there trying to watch the movie!

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Ok leaving aside that this actually happened during the opening sequence, not the movie, lets hypothetically imagine that he was texting in the middle of the movie. Not only that, but we will even imagine that he's texting at the most intense moment of the film. But even then - so what?! He's not talking, he's not blocking the screen, he's not being disruptive. He's texting! Is this really a situation where a confrontation even needs to begin?! 99% of people would just think to themselves (or whisper to their companion) "gee, bad time for texting", and then focus on the movie again. Maybe it rates a "hey, turn the phone off dude!". But an escalation of shouting and storming off? You have to be either crazy, looking for a fight, or you feel empowered to act like an arse and throw your weight around because you're carrying, to escalate this the way the old guy did.

And if some old fart gets in my face rudely because I'm texting my babysitter, then you better believe he's gonna get words back. I don't think that's an over the top reaction to what was over the top behavior on the part of gun guy. At all.

Gardenlady said:

Here's the problem - if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Same with guns. The question has been asked, "what happened to people just taking it outside when they have beef?" Well, if you've got a gun, everything looks like a situation where use of it is warranted. Someone's texting bothering you? Shoot. Someone's loud music bothering you? Shoot. Someone looks suspicious? Shoot. You get hit with popcorn? Deadly weapon, must shoot.

And the first person who responds that if we take away guns from "responsible gun owners" (and really, on paper, this guy looks "responsible", as I'm sure many others who have shot in anger, or had their guns shoot someone accidentally do) then only the outlaws will have guns, well my answer to that is, having grown up in the inner city, I'd much rather take my chances with the outlaws. Because most of the time they're only shooting at other outlaws, not at random people just out trying to watch a movie and texting their babysitter. And even the most trigger happy criminal is probably gonna beat your arse down with his fists and feet - which you stand a much better chance of surviving than a gun - before he shoots on the off chance you decide to have words with him. :twocents:

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Take what ever chances you want, no one's stopping you. And you aren't stopping or protecting anyone. And FYI Zimmerman used self defense, not SYG as his defense.

Gardenlady said:

And if some old fart gets in my face rudely because I'm texting my babysitter, then you better believe he's gonna get words back. I don't think that's an over the top reaction to what was over the top behavior on the part of gun guy. At all.

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Yelling is one thing. Hitting someone in the face with an object during an argument is DEFINITELY turning it into a physical confrontation though.

Other people may like living in an environment where arguments that including punching and even beat downs are seen as "fine" as long a weapons are not involved however I feel differently.