Texting, then assulting ex cop, during movie equals death.

[CAMAROBOY69]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...1c3bd4-7d64-11e3-93c1-0e888170b723_story.html

"After officers read him his rights, Reeves told the detective that Oulson struck him in the face with an unknown object, and that’s when he removed a .380 caliber gun from his pants pocket. The report said Reeves fired the gun and struck Oulson once in the chest and that he “was in fear of being attacked.”

According to the stories this is what happened.

Oulson is texting during movie (this is against all theater policies)
Reeves asks Oulson to quit texting.
Oulson does not listen and keeps texting during the movie.
Reeves leaves his seat and complains to the theater managment.
Reeves returns to his seat and is physically assulted in the face with unknown object.
Reeves responds in self defense and shoots Oulson in the chest.
Oulson later dies in hospital.

Discuss...

 

[Blitz24]

Person shouldn't be carrying weapon if he feels he needs to fire it in this situation.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Person shouldn't be carrying weapon if he feels he needs to fire it in this situation.

The weapon is for self defense. Reeves was assaulted in the face. Physically hit in the face. Reeves acted in self defense using the gun.

 

[Blitz24]

The weapon is for self defense. Reeves was assaulted in the face. Reeves acted in self defense using the gun.

Unknown object was thrown? Or did the person approach him and throw it at him. From the information given there is no evidence that texter threw the object.

 

[Ryanswannell]

Shooting someone for retaliating after being attacked is somewhat overkill. 👎

EDIT: I just noticed I read it wrong. While I still believe that shooting was a little over the top, I have no idea how I would react if I had a gun and was being annoyed and then attacked.

 

[Slash]

Person shouldn't be carrying weapon if he feels he needs to fire it in this situation.

lolwut


That's kind of the point of having a gun. You can't really sit there and tell me you wouldn't shoot the guy bashing you in the face with some object if you carried it for self defense; however, I would only do it if all other options of escaping bodily harm are not possible.

Oulson is in the wrong for assaulting Reeves in the first place, especially after Reeves complained to management (which he was in the right) about Oulson's behaviour from texting during the film (which Oulson was wrong, breaking theater rules). At that point, both should've left it alone and allowing Reeves to return to his seat, with Oulson not assaulting anyone. Instead, Oulson felt to need to attack Reeves. Reeves responded by protecting himself. Pretty textbook self defense.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

I agree with you. If you are a gun holder and someone is assaulting you, you are going to use your gun in self defense.

 

[Slash]

My bad, I read your post wrong. I'll correct that. Also, I edited my post slightly.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Okay there we go you have it right.

Oulson was texting
Oulson assaulted Reeves
Reeves acted in self defense with gun.

Oulson does not sound like a very intelligent man. I feel bad for Reeves. Reeves defended himself and now will probably end up in prison.

 

[Slash]

I agree. What scum.

 

[The Stig Farmer]

...guh?

This actually happened right?

 

[Coxis]

Was the object thrown at him or did the texting guy hit him with something in his grasp? I think this can make a really big difference on what the Reeves dude thought was going to happen. Throwing something isn't that bad, now hitting him with something in the face all close and personal...

 

[Liquid]

Protip: Don't be an arsehole.

Especially in states with carry laws.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Protip: Don't be an arsehole.
Especially in states with carry laws.

Exactly.

Was the object thrown at him or did the texting guy hit him with something in his grasp? I think this can make a really big difference on what the Reeves dude thought was going to happen. Throwing something isn't that bad, now hitting him with something in the face all close and personal...

Doesn't matter either way. You do not assult other people....period. There is no right or wrong way to assult someone. If you assult someone you have a VERY high chance of death.

 

[Slash]

Doesn't matter either way. You do not assult other people....period. There is no right or wrong way to assult someone. If you assult someone you have a VERY high chance of death.

Exactly. If you find yourself in a sticky situation, you can legally do anything by means of disabling your attacker to the point that you can escape safely. If that requires shooting your attacker, so be it. You have the right to defend your life. I'll make damn sure I exploit that right to the fullest if my life comes under fire.

 

[Blitz24]

Shot because he threw a bag of popcorn. Not anything dangerous but a bag of popcorn. Slight overreaction.

 

[Sage Ages]

Is he not able to defend himself without shooting him?

 

[The Stig Farmer]

Right, he shot at and killed a man... because he threw popcorn at him?

I'm never going to America at this rate

 

[McLaren]

Exactly. If you find yourself in a sticky situation, you can legally do anything by means of disabling your attacker to the point that you can escape safely. If that requires shooting your attacker, so be it. You have the right to defend your life. I'll make damn sure I exploit that right to the fullest if my life comes under fire.

This isn't true thanks to how complicated the courts are. You would have to prove why you did what you did was the right decision.

 

[SpeedyishOlly]

I could understand if the Oulson guy was hitting him in the face continuously, or had a knife and was threatening him, something like that, but he threw a bag of popcorn at him... a bag of popcorn, you can't really mistake a bag for anything else. Sounds to me like Reeves was just pissed off at this point and snapped.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Shot because he threw a bag of popcorn. Not anything dangerous but a bag of popcorn. Slight overreaction.

I could understand if the Oulson guy was hitting him in the face continuously, or had a knife and was threatening him, something like that, but he threw a bag of popcorn at him... a bag of popcorn, you can't really mistake a bag for anything else. Sounds to me like Reeves was just pissed off at this point and snapped.

Its not the point at all. He ASSULTED another human being. You do not ever assault other human beings if you want to live. Doesn't matter what it is with. If you are being assaulted by another human being, you never know what they are going to do. If he didn't defend himself the next item could have been a shoe, a rock, a knife, a gun. Don't assault other people and you wont be killed.

Right, he shot at and killed a man... because he threw popcorn at him?

I'm never going to America at this rate

He assaulted another human being, then was shot and killed. Your chances of survival in the US are at least a little higher if you are not assaulting other people.

 

[SpeedyishOlly]

He assaulted another human being and got shot. Your chances of survival in the US are much higher if you are not assaulting other people.

But if you're immature enough to make the mistake of throwing a bag of popcorn at someone because you're irritated, you deserve a chance to learn from your mistake, not be shot and killed.

 

[Northstar]

As much as I'm for self defense, this is just overkill.

First, there is the initial event, I'm not so sure I would return to the exact seat I was in before after complaining about the guy by me texting. It just seems antagonizing to do so.

Secondly is the confrontation itself. Unless Oulson was holding onto Reeves, I can't imagine he had no way of escaping whatever threat there may have been.

 

[Azuremen]

Right, he shot at and killed a man... because he threw popcorn at him?

I'm never going to America at this rate

Because senseless murder doesn't happen in the UK, right? Oh wait, and wait again. I could go on for a while with the number of murders in the UK that are the result of arguments and random petty acts. They all tend to be stabbings instead of shootings though, but not sure how that makes anyone feel better.

But if you're immature enough to make the mistake of throwing a bag of popcorn at someone because you're irritated, you deserve a chance to learn from your mistake, not be shot and killed.

Perhaps, but I think it common knowledge that you don't start throwing stuff in a movie because a stranger is annoying you. Typically kids are taught that isn't appropriate in grade school.

 

[Imari]

Its not the point at all. He ASSULTED another human being. You do not ever assault other human beings if you want to live. Doesn't matter what it is with.

It kinda does matter what it's with. If someone assaults you with a wilted flower, that's hardly much of a case for deadly force, is it? I mean, it's annoying being poked with a flower and all, but you're hardly in any physical danger.

Ditto bag of popcorn. It's annoying and very, very rude for someone to throw one at you, but you're in absolutely no physical danger unless you have a spectacular allergy to corn. The appropriate response to someone throwing a bag of popcorn is to walk away. If you're really pissed off and feel like hurting the guy I'd imagine you'd get away with punching the guy in the face.

Pulling a gun and shooting the guy in the chest is just a massive, massive over-reaction, and anyone who thinks that pulling a gun in that situation is an appropriate response shouldn't be carrying.

 

[Famine]

I wouldn't have even got that far. Texting in a cinema = capital offence.

 

[Slash]

This isn't true thanks to how complicated the courts are. You would have to prove why you did what you did was the right decision.

Why not? I've seen stories on my local stations where people get praised for it.

 

[Wolfe]

I had read Oulson sent his text during the previews, which is when Reeves left to complain. Not during the movie itself, if it matters to anyone.

Cell phone use isn't the only relevant theater rule either:

On the theaters' website is a list of prohibited items and actions. Among them: No cell phone use, including texting, in the theater auditorium. And no weapons allowed.

The fact that Reeves is an ex-cop pretty much explains how he jumped straight to the use of deadly force once he felt "threatened." I don't think an ordinary civilian would have been quite so quick to draw.

 

[playnthru]

Its not the point at all. He ASSULTED another human being. You do not ever assault other human beings if you want to live. Doesn't matter what it is with. If you are being assaulted by another human being, you never know what they are going to do. If he didn't defend himself the next item could have been a shoe, a rock, a knife, a gun. Don't assault other people and you wont be killed.

Spitting on someone is considered assault. If someone spits on me shall I pull a .357 and make their day?

 

[a6m5]

Yeah, I saw the report on the news couple days ago, and I heard it was just popcorn. If true, I mean, come on......

Call me an 🤬 because to be honest, if I had encounter with this Oulson & after the movie, I see him get hit by a bus in the parking lot, I'd be going "wow", but with a slight smirk on my face. I have zero patience for inconsiderate people in movie theaters. Sorry.

-end fantasy segment-

Reeves were in the right, probably right up to the point he shot the idiot. He should have done what the rest of us sometimes are force to do: Move.

Right, he shot at and killed a man... because he threw popcorn at him?

I'm never going to America at this rate

Azuremen's right though. Confrontation like this takes place in America million times a day. This one time, somebody got shot, so it's making the news.