[janmcn]

Just heard on the news at 5:00 that the Sumter County sheriff's deputy was sitting only five seats away from the shooter, so it seems that he will be the star witness. Also reported that the gun jammed after one shot, so conceivably more people could have been killed.

Mr Reeves has a defense counsel who represented him in court today when bond was denied. He promised another bond hearing will be held next week.

The saddest news was the victim was texting his three-year-old daughter's babysitter when he was killed.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Bonnevie

well one would hope that the time it would take for the person to leave, get in his car, and maybe listen to his wife (hopefully) would have given him the time needed to realize he was over-reacting. It just seems to me, that a lot of these incidents, (George Zimmerman, a man in Clearwater who came out to yell at skateboarders and killed his neighbors) are because people had guns when they didn't need them.

I came from a family of police officers. They never wanted to pull a gun because they are trained not to do so unless they intend to use it. And there may be a different breed of police these days. Certainly the job has gotten more difficult. In my father's day the police were respected and people obeyed them. Now they taunt and insult them and if they react at all get complaints filed.

This man was 71 and may have had some age related dementia or something that caused him to reach that degree of anger. I mean the guy was texting during the previews....not the film itself and to become so infuriated to resort to that all the while he sat there breaking the law by having a gun there....

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought I read that he went out to his car and got the gun and came back in and shot. Why didn't that give him time to think about it and hopefully listen to his wife?

My father was also a police officer. He never shot anyone nor do I recall anyone in his department over the 25 years that he worked there ever shoot anyone. Yet, they all had guns. I

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Probably good points to think about when buying a gun!

No, but they are definitely good things to think about when killing an innocent person with a gun or otherwise.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Bonnevie

This man was 71 and may have had some age related dementia or something that caused him to reach that degree of anger.

I agree that the alleged shooter must have had dementia or some other mental problem. Shooting a man for texting is not the reaction of a sane person. And I think that will be the defense.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by JRW8219

Yes but at least THIS texter would be alive! This story isn't an isolate incident. People die every day from someone carrying a concealed (legal) gun. Would have been a complete non-story if a gun was not present. Sad, Sad.

I challenge your statement, highlighted above, that "People die every day from someone carrying a concealed (legal) gun."

Please provide the source of your statistics.

(It would be unacceptable to include those shot lawfully by police officers or by private citizens stopping the commission of a crime.)

Thank you.

.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Unfortunately for Mr Reeves, there were over 100 witnesses, including a Sumter County sheriff's deputy who stepped in to subdue the shooter. Another unfortunate fact for Mr Reeves, the victim was two rows away. The only thing that got thrown was popcorn.

Mr Reeves can hire a defense attorney and try the "self defense" strategy, however these attorneys don't come cheap. Reeves could also lose his policeman's pension if he becomes a convicted felon.

I don't know that he can lose his pension for simply being convicted of a felony.

He was not a member of the Florida Retirement System. The Tampa Police Department Pension System is funded by contributions from the employees.

It is still subject to Florida law concerning public retirement systems, which requires the forfeiture of pension benefits for conviction of certain crimes, but homicide is not one of them. They are more concerned with bribery, extortion and other violations of fiduciary duty while still employed. I could not find a provision for taking the pension of a retiree.

When I retired, under the Florida Retirement System, about a decade ago, a retiree could lose his pension for conviction of a crime involving "moral turpitude." That included homicide. I haven't been able to find that provision with an on line search now.

I just don't know.

[Cisco Kid]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

I challenge your statement, highlighted above, that "People die every day from someone carrying a concealed (legal) gun."

Please provide the source of your statistics.

(It would be unacceptable to include those shot lawfully by police officers or by private citizens stopping the commission of a crime.)

Thank you.

.

I wonder how many lives are saved every year by legal gun owners ?

[DougB]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

The one man was texting where it was clearly illegal to do it. Then the other guy had a gun where he should not have had it. Does the two violations cancel each other out. Of course the killing still remains. Perhaps the 71 year old man was in fear of his life from the 43 year old man. Zimmerman got away with it so why not the retired officer.

Illegal to text in a movie theatre? Could you tell me what statute that is? I would like to read it.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by Cisco Kid

I wonder how many lives are saved every year by legal gun owners ?

A study ordered by President Obama found that gun ownership actually saves lives and those who have a firearm at their disposal improve their chances of survival and reduce their chance of injury in the event they are confronted by a violent criminal.

White House Study Finds Guns Save Lives: "Consistently Lower Injury Rates Among Gun Using Crime Victims"

It is estimated that 3 million people use a gun to defend themselves from harm every year. This means that over 8,000 Americans every day act with potentially deadly force to prevent injury or death to themselves or a family member.


.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by DougB

Illegal to text in a movie theatre? Could you tell me what statute that is? I would like to read it.

I am sure that Lou was just trying to be facetious in his post. Texting in a theater is rude - not illegal.

I really wonder why anyone would carry a pistol to the movies. How paranoid?

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by buggyone

I am sure that Lou was just trying to be facetious in his post. Texting in a theater is rude - not illegal.

I really wonder why anyone would carry a pistol to the movies. How paranoid?

Two points: This theater chain asks that you not text during the movie. In this case, the movie had not started yet and the victim was texting during the previews.

Also, it was reported on the news tonight that Mr Reeves had a similar altercation with a woman last month over her texting at the same theater. Of course, that one didn't end with a shooting, but the woman reported that Mr Reeves followed her to the ladies room, harrassing her over her texting.

It might seem to a casual observer, that he was vowing to put an end to texting at this theater, one way or another.

[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by redwitch

To issue a concealed weapon to someone just because they have no history of violence and have not committed a felony is not sufficient in my mind.

It's not quite that simple. You might find it enlightening to read the 3,655 word law on the subject.

Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

.

[JRW8219]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

I challenge your statement, highlighted above, that "People die every day from someone carrying a concealed (legal) gun."

Please provide the source of your statistics.

(It would be unacceptable to include those shot lawfully by police officers or by private citizens stopping the commission of a crime.)

Thank you.

.

Before I provide the statistic I have a bet:

If less than 365 people were murdered (in the U.S) from legal guns last year I will pay YOU XXXX. If more than 365 people were murdered from legal guns last year you will pay ME XXXX.

What shall we make the XXXX?

I know you won't take that bet at any price.

PS: and yes we will not count those stopping a crime (police or otherwise). I'm talking about the number of people arrested and charged with murder whose gun was legally registered to them.

For the last year I could find stats (2011), there were almost 9000 murders from guns. You really think less than 365 (4%) were legally purchased?

[Cisco Kid]

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa

A study ordered by President Obama found that gun ownership actually saves lives and those who have a firearm at their disposal improve their chances of survival and reduce their chance of injury in the event they are confronted by a violent criminal.

White House Study Finds Guns Save Lives: "Consistently Lower Injury Rates Among Gun Using Crime Victims"

It is estimated that 3 million people use a gun to defend themselves from harm every year. This means that over 8,000 Americans every day act with potentially deadly force to prevent injury or death to themselves or a family member.


.

I am sorry Carl, but this data will have to be ignored.
It does not fit the narrative of the gun grabber.

[Parker]

The shooter has apparently lost his mental balance, as humans sometimes do. He is an individual and should be thought of as one, rather than as representing all other gun owners. Lots of law enforcement in my family, and they have always told me that not all officers are created equal.