A retired police officer shot and killed a man out with his wife during a movie. The former officer, Curtis Reeves, 71 and his wife were at the showing of the Peter Berg film “Lone Survivor” at the Grove 16 theater in the Tampa Bay suburb of Wesley Chapel. Sitting in the row directly in front of them was Chad Oulsen, 43 and his wife, also there to watch the movie.
According to CNN, it started with Oulsen texting his young daughter during the previews. Oulsen was texting his daughter and Reeves told him to put his phone away. When he didn’t, Reeves left the the theater looking to complain to a movie theater employee.
Police and witnesses said when Reeves returned , he didn’t return with the manager, and “he looked very agitated.” Oulsen approached him and asked him if he had gone to tell on him for texting. Witnesses heard him say, ‘I was just sending a message to my young daughter.’
The two continued to raise their voices. Oulson, then threw a bag of popcorn at the retired officer. Reeves in return, drew his .380 semi-automatic handgun. Before he fired, Oulson’s wife raised her hand, tried to diffuse the situation, but the shot went through her hand and hit Oulson in the chest.
Witnesses said Oulson staggered and fell, “He said, I can’t believe I got shot.” Blood just started pouring out of his mouth and he just fell. His wife suffered a non-life threatening wound but her husband died in the hospital. When police arrived and the former officer was read his Miranda rights, Reeves admitted to firing his weapon because “he was in fear of being attacked,” and said Oulson hit him with an “unknown object” according to the police. He has been charged with second degree murder and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday at 1 p.m.
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