Audio By Carbonatix
Independent Journalism in Miami Needs You
We need to raise $10,000 by August 9 to support the reporting our community depends on. Reader support keeps us independent and is playing a larger role in funding local journalism and shaping what comes next. If you believe independent local journalism matters, make a contribution today.
Tragically, Florida’s reputation as a wayward state with hot-headed gun owners will stick with us into the new year. A man attending a screening of The Lone Survivor was fatally shot after he got into an argument over texting.
According to MyFoxTampaBay, the incident began this afternoon at the 1:20 showing of the movie. Two couples were sitting in adjacent rows. The couple sitting closer to the screen apparently got upset with the couple behind them for noisily texting before the movie started.
“The victim was on his cell phone; he was texting. We believe he was making some kind of noise. This noise led to an altercation between the suspect and the victim,” Sheriff Chris Nocco told the station.
Another witness said he heard the man saying he was texting his 3-year-old daughter.
“Their voices start going up, there seems to be a confrontation, somebody throws popcorn, then — bang — he was shot,” a witness said. “He staggered two seats over, fell on my son and I.”
The man was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The man’s partner was also shot but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Another person in the theater was able to grab the still-unidentified man’s gun and detain him until police arrived.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
