I hope this is the last "Man brings loaded concealed handgun to DKR"

[fantastic_four]

How is this guy a nut job? He had a permit to carry and it was not like he was armed to the teeth and ready for WWIII. Even if the theater had an internal policy of no guns on the premises, it's not (at least in most states) a state mandated, gun free zone like a school or federal building. The worst that can happen is that he is asked to leave and is banned from the theater by the owner.

 

He's a nut job because he is not smart enough to figure out that carrying a gun to TDKR after everything that has happened is probably not wise, nor considerate. What is really frightening, is that you don't have to pass any sort of competency screening to get a conceal/carry.

 

And trust me - I live in Montana, and I know people who not only have conceal/carry, but they take their guns with them while they get drunk, go to church, etc. You know, for "protection". It's a Tough Guy License for men who think guns are toys, nothing more.

 

Gun ownership is about being responsible, being aware of the people around you and safety. The fact that this guy ignores all those standard gun owner responsibilities makes him a gigantic D-bag, and a HUGE reason to why people want to take guns away in this country.

 

I don't carry or own a gun, but if I did, I'd likely consider the Rises massacre as a renewed reason to carry them out in public--especially to that same film. I don't understand your apparent acceptance of gun rights yet your opposition to this guy actually exercising those rights.

 

How did other people even know he had a gun? Sounds like he had it fairly concealed.

[Mark 1]

Let's make this clear.

 

He was allowed to bring the gun with him to the theatre if he had a permit. It seems he had a permit. Good.

 

He didn't conceal it but rather had it sticking out of his back belt waistband. A very brazen and idiotic move considering what has happened recently.

 

He is confronted by authorities and he ignores their instructions. Another brazen and idiotic decision.

 

He was arrested. A very smart decision by the authorities.

 

This isn't about his right to carry his gun. This is about his ability to act like a level headed human being such as hiding his gun properly, not causing panic among other movie goers by showing his gun in his waistband like this is the old west and listening/complying with police when he was confronted.

 

If he had done those things, he wouldn't be on the news.

 

 

[fantastic_four]

Well maybe if you had several police officers draw their guns on you for doing NOTHING wrong, you wouldn't be inclined to be the most helpful either.

 

Insufficiently thoughtful? I couldn't disagree more with this perception of the arrested person. If you ask me, after what happened in Colorado, I would expect to see MORE people being responsible gun owners and protecting themselves in public situations (in turn, protecting the innocents near them).

 

In this thread he has been referred to as a "nut job" and also "big guy with guns."

 

I don't know if this is just a liberal vs. conservative thing or not, but this man did nothing wrong, and I wouldn't be surprised if the attorney sues for the way the police initialized their contact with him (not that I would agree with that course of action).

 

For those giving this man grief, If another man with a firearm stormed into the theater and began shooting, you would rather this person have left their gun in the car because you would feel safer that way?

 

Most of the indignation in this thread is DEFINITELY tied to people thinking guns should be either illegal, or at least that the right to carry them concealed in public should be.

[DiceX]

Let's make this clear.

 

He was allowed to bring the gun with him to the theatre if he had a permit. It seems he had a permit. Good.

 

He didn't conceal it but rather had it sticking out of his back belt waistband. A very brazen and idiotic move considering what has happened recently.

 

He is confronted by authorities and he ignores their instructions. Another brazen and idiotic decision.

 

He was arrested. A very smart decision by the authorities.

 

This isn't about his right to carry his gun. This is about his ability to act like a level headed human being such as hiding his gun properly, not causing panic among other movie goers by showing his gun in his waistband like this is the old west and listening/complying with police when he was confronted.

 

If he had done those things, he wouldn't be on the news.

 

 

This pretty much sums it up. Good job. (thumbs u

 

 

[fantastic_four]

The only Issue I have is he ignored the police. How are they supposed to know he had a permit unless he identified himself and told them.

At the time it looks like he ignored the cops.

 

How long did he "ignore" them--one second? Five? Ten? Since it was a dark theater, did they identify themselves? If not, was the pause related to him trying to figure out who was yelling at him? It's important to know exactly what happened--can't accurately judge it until you do.

[UnboxingTreasures]

I agree that I found it strange he had the gun showing. In Florida, there are pretty harsh punishments for not fully concealing your firearm. And I'm sure that law is in place at least partially for people to feel comfortable.

 

But reading OP, I'm confused because if the gun was showing then it wasn't concealed.

 

 

[Buzzetta]

Well maybe if you had several police officers draw their guns on you for doing NOTHING wrong, you wouldn't be inclined to be the most helpful either.

 

Insufficiently thoughtful? I couldn't disagree more with this perception of the arrested person. If you ask me, after what happened in Colorado, I would expect to see MORE people being responsible gun owners and protecting themselves in public situations (in turn, protecting the innocents near them).

 

In this thread he has been referred to as a "nut job" and also "big guy with guns."

 

I don't know if this is just a liberal vs. conservative thing or not, but this man did nothing wrong, and I wouldn't be surprised if the attorney sues for the way the police initialized their contact with him (not that I would agree with that course of action).

 

For those giving this man grief, If another man with a firearm stormed into the theater and began shooting, you would rather this person have left their gun in the car because you would feel safer that way?

 

Most of the indignation in this thread is DEFINITELY tied to people thinking guns should be either illegal, or at least that the right to carry them concealed in public should be.

 

I do not think that they should be illegal. I think that if you have a gun on you and you know that the police are there you sit up and pay attention and that you better identify and explain yourself when asked to. The police are responding to a complaint that a man in the theater is armed with a weapon. They responded. Good for them.

 

 

[fantastic_four]

Let's make this clear.

 

He was allowed to bring the gun with him to the theatre if he had a permit. It seems he had a permit. Good.

 

He didn't conceal it but rather had it sticking out of his back belt waistband. A very brazen and idiotic move considering what has happened recently.

 

He is confronted by authorities and he ignores their instructions. Another brazen and idiotic decision.

 

He was arrested. A very smart decision by the authorities.

 

This isn't about his right to carry his gun. This is about his ability to act like a level headed human being such as hiding his gun properly, not causing panic among other movie goers by showing his gun in his waistband like this is the old west and listening/complying with police when he was confronted.

 

If he had done those things, he wouldn't be on the news.

 

 

The reports aren't as clear as you're describing. This one claims he didn't have it in a waistband, he had it in a holster.

 

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/09/13198412-lawyer-explains-why-he-brought-gun-to-batman-showing?lite

 

So was he wearing a holster over a shirt with no jacket, or was it under a jacket? If he was wearing a holster over a shirt, that would absolutely scream "gun" to everyone looking--that's more conspicuous than I've ever seen. If he had a holster on, I have to assume it was under something, but I don't know.

 

I'm not defending his actions yet--just trying to clarify what he did and what the cops did. It's unclear, so I have no opinion about the situation yet.

[Park]

The only Issue I have is he ignored the police. How are they supposed to know he had a permit unless he identified himself and told them.

At the time it looks like he ignored the cops.

 

How long did he "ignore" them--one second? Five? Ten? Since it was a dark theater, did they identify themselves? If not, was the pause related to him trying to figure out who was yelling at him? It's important to know exactly what happened--can't accurately judge it until you do.

 

Every one else in the theater had been ordered out by the Police so he clearly had knowledge of somebody being there. I have to assume that the Police identified themselves in doing so otherwise there would have been a panic.

 

I say he had more than five or ten seconds.

 

Opinion ahead. This sounds like a publicity stunt. To what end, I don't know but put me in the camp that this guy is a d-bag

[fantastic_four]

Opinion ahead. This sounds like a publicity stunt.

 

I wondered that as well, if it was a way for him to get his name out there because he has his own law practice that he brainstormed a way to get free advertising for.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

What an insufficiently_thoughtful_person to carry so conspicuously, then ignore officers instructions.

 

He should have complied and identified that he was legally carrying, prior to being patted down.

 

Still might have ended up face down on the floor.

[fantastic_four]

Every one else in the theater had been ordered out by the Police so he clearly had knowledge of somebody being there. I have to assume that the Police identified themselves in doing so otherwise there would have been a panic.

 

That does clarify the situation. I suppose the main thing I'm left wondering is how visible the gun was and how long he took to hang the phone up when officers addressed him.

 

I don't really know much about gun laws--when you're carrying one in public, are you compelled to conceal them, or can you wear them plainly visible or even wave them around? I know there are very specific guidelines for what you can do with them and where you can keep them in a car, so I assume there are some specifics for carrying them in public as well.

[InvstmntComcSuply]

I would imagine there are laws against brandishing in most jurisdictions, but it just sounds like he purposefully did not conceal it

[Davenport]

Opinion ahead. This sounds like a publicity stunt.

 

I wondered that as well, if it was a way for him to get his name out there because he has his own law practice that he brainstormed a way to get free advertising for.

For me the 'tell' was declaring his city "the murder capital of Connecticut". That's not a casual response, especially not coming from prez of the county Bar. More like a serious beef with the mayor.

 

The other article was milder: "The real issue is that the city of New Haven is unsafe, he said." Choice of movie, time of night, and stupid behaviors makes it all smell...funny.

[fantastic_four]

Opinion ahead. This sounds like a publicity stunt.

 

I wondered that as well, if it was a way for him to get his name out there because he has his own law practice that he brainstormed a way to get free advertising for.

For me the 'tell' was declaring his city "the murder capital of Connecticut". That's not a casual response, especially not coming from prez of the county Bar. More like a serious beef with the mayor.

 

The other article was milder: "The real issue is that the city of New Haven is unsafe, he said." Choice of movie, time of night, and stupid behaviors makes it all smell...funny.

 

Yep that all made me wonder as well.

[dupont2005]

Really I don't have a problem with a licensed CCW. The last two guys I think were nut jobs, I think this guy was just swept up in the hysteria.

 

 

EDIT: Yeah, I only skimmed the article. "Openly carrying" is going a bit far, unless that was an exaggeration. I've seen people at grocery stores where their shirt lifted up and you could see their gun tucked in the back of their pants, but just by looking at the guy and the fact he had a wife and kid with him made me assume he's probably not there to rob the place and was likely an off duty cop or something so I didn't ring any alarms.

[Park]

Every one else in the theater had been ordered out by the Police so he clearly had knowledge of somebody being there. I have to assume that the Police identified themselves in doing so otherwise there would have been a panic.

 

That does clarify the situation. I suppose the main thing I'm left wondering is how visible the gun was and how long he took to hang the phone up when officers addressed him.

 

I don't really know much about gun laws--when you're carrying one in public, are you compelled to conceal them, or can you wear them plainly visible or even wave them around? I know there are very specific guidelines for what you can do with them and where you can keep them in a car, so I assume there are some specifics for carrying them in public as well.

 

Like grinin said, it is going to vary from place to place. I believe you can carry a gun on your hip in a holster in AZ. Once you take it out of the holster, I think you are venturing into no no land.

[Park]

Opinion ahead. This sounds like a publicity stunt.

 

I wondered that as well, if it was a way for him to get his name out there because he has his own law practice that he brainstormed a way to get free advertising for.

For me the 'tell' was declaring his city "the murder capital of Connecticut". That's not a casual response, especially not coming from prez of the county Bar. More like a serious beef with the mayor.

 

The other article was milder: "The real issue is that the city of New Haven is unsafe, he said." Choice of movie, time of night, and stupid behaviors makes it all smell...funny.

 

Yep that all made me wonder as well.

 

The article says he is "well known immigration attorney" and the President elect of the County Bar Association. It doesn't sound like free advertising but more of some type of political move regarding the laws maybe or some other sit in type situation?

[shadroch]

I'd have shot him just for being on the phone at a movie. Selfish .

[UnboxingTreasures]

I'd have shot him just for being on the phone at a movie. Selfish .