71 Year Old Retired Police Officer Curtis Reeves Shoots & Kills Moviegoer Chad Oulson Over Texting Altercation … Suspect Arrest & Charged with Second Degree Murder

Father’s texting to 3 year old daughter sparks fatal argument …

What has this country come to when texting in a movie theater results in a murder? This was not a result of gang violence or some teenage fight over a girl. The suspect was a retired cop and the victim a dad. UNREAL. Trust me, I think that individuals on cell phones in movie theaters are annoying, but it is hardly worth shooting some one over, but such was the sad case that occurred in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

On Monday during a 1:20 p.m. showing of “Lone Survivor” at a Wesley Chapel, Florida, it started with a father, 43 year old Chad Oulson, texting his 3 year old daughter and ended with 71 year old retired police officer Curtis Reeves firing his .380 caliber, killing Chad Oulson and wounding his wife.

Investigators say two couples had gotten into an argument over noise.

“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 explained.

A witness recalled seeing the agitated man — later identified by deputies as Curtis Reeves — get up and leave in an apparent attempt to find a manager. When he came back alone, the argument escalated.

CNN: Dad’s texting to daughter sparks argument, fatal shooting in movie theater.

It started with a father sending text messages to his daughter during the previews of a movie.

It ended with the 43-year-old man shot dead amid the theater seats, and a 71-year-old retired police officer in custody.

The shooting Monday during a 1:20 p.m. showing of “Lone Survivor” at a Wesley Chapel, Florida, movie theater escalated from an objection to cell phone use, to a series of arguments, to the sudden and deadly shooting, according to police and witnesses.

As a male moviegoer texted, the man seated behind him objected, and asked the texter to put his phone away.

The man who had been texting, Chad Oulson, got up and turned to Reeves to ask him if he had gone to tell on him for his texting. Oulson reportedly said, in effect: I was just sending a message to my young daughter.

Voices were raised. Popcorn was thrown. And then came something unimaginable — except maybe in a movie. A gun shot.

Oulson was fatally wounded. His wife was hit, too, through the hand as she raised her hand in front of her husband as the shooter drew a handgun.

Chad Oulson and his wife – pic Facebook

UPDATE I: Retired Tampa Police Captain Curtis Reeves Charged  with Second-Degree Murder.

A retired Tampa police captain was charged  with second-degree murder on Monday for shooting two people in a movie theater after an altercation over texting, the Associated Press reports.

Murder Suspect Curtis Reeves – pic Facebook

UPDATES II: More from The Raw Story.

UPDATE III: Accused shooter in movie theater murder to appear before judge.

The 71-year-old former police officer accused of fatally shooting a man at a Wesley Chapel movie theater Monday is scheduled to appear before a judge today.

Curtis Reeves is being held at the Pasco County Central Detention Center in Land O’ Lakes jail on a second-degree murder charge. He is set to appear in court this afternoon and could have bond set.