Another guns in a theater incident - near miss

[liberal N proud]

WESTLAKE -- A 37-year-old North Ridgeville man was charged Monday, after police say he walked into the Regal Cinemas at Crocker Park in Westlake, carrying a satchel full of weapons.

Police have identified the man as Scott Smith.

Westlake police say Smith bought a movie ticket for the 10 o'clock showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" Saturday night.

A keen-eyed theater manager and off-duty Westlake police officer, who was working security, stopped Smith shortly after he sat down in his theater seat. The officer asked to search his bag, and Smith complied, without incident. Inside the bag were a loaded 9 mm Glock handgun, two additional loaded magazines and two knives.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/article/255119/45/Westlake-Man-arrested-in-movie-theater-with-loaded-gun-and-knives


This 2 miles from my house, my daughter almost went to the movies that night.

[hlthe2b]

1. This is Ohio? Kentucky?

[liberal N proud]

2. Ohio

[hlthe2b]

3. I'm so glad it was prevented...

To be honest, I have been left with absolutely no desire to see a film in a movie theater since the Aurora shootings. I know the risk is infinitely small, but for now I'm content to watch on DVD.

[Zalatix]

5. You run a better risk of dying in a car accident.

[hlthe2b]

8. Yes, of course..> But if you sit in the dark attentive to every sound and movement...

it is hard to enjoy yourself. DVD's in the peace and quiet of ones own home (or that of friends) with a glass of wine and snacks worth eating sound infinitely better right now.

[Hoyt]

9. Hope it stays that way, but more and more people are arming up.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

4. Clearly, the ACLU needs to achieve better awareness...

I can't believe this guy consented to a warrentless search. Have kids these days learned nothing?
What possible probable cause arises from arriving early to a movie theatre and wearing a man purse?

He must've wanted to get caught... It's the only explanation. I can't believe anybody is this stupid.
Although, assuming he was up to no good, I'm glad he was caught before anything happened.

[Zalatix]

6. It's about time our law enforcement did its job. Even if they're off-duty.

[Courtesy Flush]

7. Exercising his Second Amendment rights

There's the rub! At what point are you no longer protecting yourself, and can be deemed a threat?

What if he'd had only one loaded gun? Do you let him in, and hope he's a potential hero -- or keep him out, and possibly prevent another shooting?

The NRA needs to post guidelines, and take responsibility for the results.

[liberal N proud]

12. He did not have a concealed weapons permit

That is going to be what they get him on if nothing else.

[JoeyT]

10. I would assume he was

dragging a gun around because he thought he was going to prevent a massacre if another one was attempted.

Which means he'd have probably fired randomly into the crowd the second he mistook a large popcorn for a gun.

[charlie]

11. He was skeered

An attorney for the man police said carried a gun, knives and multiple rounds of ammunition into a movie theater Saturday claims his client was afraid for his own safety in light of recent shootings and incidents around the country.

...

Bruce said Tuesday his client's intentions were purely self-protective and that he had absolutely no intention of threatening any one, harming any one, inducing any kind of panic or creating any kind of hostile or violent situation.

"This was simply an instance where a man felt fear going into a movie theater in light of recent shootings and incidents around the country and he wanted protection for himself," Bruce said.

Bruce declined to comment on why Smith was carrying two extra magazines, or about the cache of weapons police discovered in Smith's North Ridgeville home.

http://www.cleveland.com/westlake/index.ssf/2012/08/attorney_says_scott_a_smith_br.html

[lunatica]

13. It's almost like he wanted to shoot someone in self defense

If what he claims is true and it was all for self-defense then he must want gun violence to break out. Let's see, he goes to a Dark Knight Rises movie at 10 pm loaded for bear.

Nah! I must be imagining things.

[xchrom]

14. +1