If there's a fire in the back of a theater, is the appropriate response to lean over to your neighbor, say, "There's a fire" in calm, soft tones, and then quietly get up and leave?
Just to leave without saying anything?
Get up, leave, and pull the fire alarm on the way out? (Gee, 12 theatres, one fire alarm, instead of having those in the burning part of the theatre leave lets have everybody flood the exits at once!)
No. If there was a gun, and you think it might be used, you don't keep it secret.
You don't look around for the appropriate person to tell, calmly make your way over to that person, and say, "Kind sir, if it's not too much bother, I'd like to communicate to you some allegedly urgent information. I must be quick about it, because lives are possibly at stake and efforts should be advanced to evacuate this venue and apprehend the person for the reasons I feel obliged to provide. To that end, while being as terse as possible, while not leaving out any information you might find pertinent or relevant, I have the following the report. Based upon my observations of some 8-10 minutes ago--I was delayed because the pressing throngs interfered with my perambulations, coupled with the fact that you moved when I was but half through my course to your position, there appeared to be a certain individual wearing a green cardigan, tartan-plaid pants, and paisley socks located in row 3, seat 23, of fair complexion, somewhat long brown hair parted, if memory serves--he's no longer in view--on the right, and with possibly hazel eyes, standing in need of losing some 18-23 pounds to get his body-mass index down to 20%, who appears to be carrying a metallic object with the outward appearance of a firearm of recent vintage in, I believe, his right hand."
By the time you've done the placid thing in a thoroughly non-placid situation it's either a non-issue or people are dead.
You don't have a Constitutional right to yell fire in a crowded theatre. That does not mean it is always the improper thing; it just means that it is not always the proper thing to do and in the absence of a real threat the ersatz warning is the real threat. If you believe there to be a fire, however, it is entirely appropriate.
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