Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm going to go out on a limb...and say that I suspect there may be more to the story what is being reported.
I would not be too surprised if it comes out that the Geezer shot in self defense????
Yeah the retired cop is obviously well versed on the SYG and self defense stuff and has already got his lawyer selling that but, unless the popcorn left a mark they were able to record in a photo, I don't think anybody's buying.
Critical testimony is going to come from the guy who held the victim as he died in his arms and his father the Vietnam vet.
It will garner attention from all points but the dead man will still be dead.
Would that this were still a country where a trivial verbal altercation would not and indeed, could not, escalate to the use of a handgun with loss of life.
Again, what happened was a guy used to having people obey him (the cop) confronted a guy used to getting his way, via intimidation by his size, getting blowback because the younger big guy didn't like being ordered and disrespected by some annoying little old man.
The old guy should never have initiated, the young guy, because of his size wasn't going to take orders from some little old man, but unbeknownst to him, the old man had his equalizer and wasn't going to be intimidated by an obnoxious big bully. Sadly the young guy lost his life and a little girl lost her dad.
This whole thing is a terrible tragedy because two egos fought to show who was more dominant.
The cop was totally in the wrong, never should have happened. His behavior and ego led to this incident
Also, no matter how physically big you are, never use it to intimidate others.
Sadly, I've heard this a couple of times. This probably summarizes each person's position.
Irresistible force meets immovable object
Even though the young guy was likely a big bully, he certainly didn't deserve to die.
That being said, too many people are totally inconsiderate of others, try and be the tough guy (on both sides here) and horrible things often happen, as did in this case.
Yes, if you know that's what it is flying into your face and eyes. Can you prove the old fella knew it was harmless popcorn being flung at him by a belligerent stranger?
If it comes out of a big bucket labelled POPCORN and smells like butter and you are in a movie theatre, you'd have be completely unhinged to not realize that soft fluffy stuff IS popcorn.
Where's YOUR proof he threw it so hard it flew into his face and eyes? He could have tossed it out of the bucket while making a point.
I thought up thread you were being all high and mighty about presuming facts not in evidence?
My bet is that the geezer said something rude about his kid, and he had about had it at that point. You don't know what happened, except that a man is dead over what is, in the scheme of things, a very trivial matter. Again.
And it would appear the man had a history of running around harassing texters. In a BELLIGERENT fashion.
The guy texting in the theatre was obviously a thug and a punk. The retired cop was just defending himself from that thug. The guy texting in the theatre shouldn't have attacked that armed retired cop. That'll teach other punks like him.
The guy texting in the theatre was obviously a thug and a punk. The retired cop was just defending himself from that thug. The guy texting in the theatre shouldn't have attacked that armed retired cop. That'll teach other punks like him.
Do we know at what distance the shooting occurred and if the theater was darkened for the film?
Apparently Reeves(the shooter)and his wife were in seats behind Oulson and his wife. Its an upscale theater with stadium seats and possibly food service so I don't know if that means the seats are further apart or normal distance. It happened during previews but no one has said how dark. Maybe half lit?
I would like to know if both were standing and also what was being said right before/as the popcorn was thrown. Were there threats? Was Mr. Oulson moving as if to go over the seat? Media said his wife was shot because she raised her hand to protect him, but maybe she knew or thought he intended to continue the assault and was trying to hold him back.
Rude cell phone users, busy body old people being too sensitive, complaining to mgmt. ....none of that really matters imo.
Throwing something at someone is rather outrageous imo and is assault. Apparently, throwing something at someone 65 and older in Florida is a felony assault.
I think this case will hinge on what happened or didn't happen at the time the popcorn was thrown. No one has spoken to that and perhaps the only real witnesses are the shooter and the two wives.
Throwing something into your opponents eyes, like sand, a cape, etc. to distract them while you pull a weapon is a common and ancient tactic.
I am not defending the shooter's actions, but it could have instigated a reflexive action on his part.
A reflex action? Following popcorn hitting him in the face, recovering from "the attack", reach downing, un-holstering his gun, and then raising his arm, pointing and shooting?
I suspect that the gun was already drawn before the popcorn throwing to intimidate Oulson. Oulson was not intimidated and threw the popcorn to mock the old man or threw the bag as a defensive move. This sequence (gun drawn before popcorn) explains the very short time-frame between popcorn tossing and the gun shot, why he said "I can't believe you shot me", and why his wife was shot in the hand as she had time to put her hand on his chest either to protect him or pull him back from confronting the gunslinger. In either sequence both stayed in their own rows.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
