Newsreel: A Renton, WA Man Was Arrested After Shooting a Woman in A Movie Theater

On Thursday night, a Renton man was intoxicated while watching a movie in a local theater. He was watching '13 Hours,' when his firearm accidentally went off, injuring a woman sitting nearby.

During the movie in Regal Cinemas at Landing 14, the man allegedly handled his gun while intoxicated, and it hit the women in the shoulder, police said. The woman is in stable condition at Harborview Medical Center, and should make a complete recovery. They did not know each other, so it was just a freak accident.

Once the man realized what he had done, he immediately left the theater, and escaped to a nearby restaurant. He dropped the gun, but picked it back up before police got there. He is in custody after turning himself in to police.

Other patrons in the movie theater weren't sure what was going on when they heard the gunshot; “We had no idea who did it,” said Nathaniel Hansen, who helped administer aid to the victim.

The incident will remain under investigation for now.

Glitchy's Take

Unsure what to think of a man who carries a gun into a movie theater. Yes, some people have a permit for conceal/carry, but why was he handling it when he did not intend to use it (during the movie)? I know this was a complete accident (allegedly), but I think it was pretty dumb of this patron to bring the gun into the theater. He should have left it in his car.

Also, I think he became even more guilty when he left the scene with the evidence (the firearm), because if the woman had died, that would be a felony. I think this man ought to consider very carefully how he spends his time...and how he is using that firearm of his. I honestly believe he should have left it in his car, or at home. This was reckless, and it could have turned out very differently.

My father has always had conceal/carry firearms, and he kept one next to his side of the bed. Because of this, I was not allowed into his room when I had friends over, simply because he did not want anyone around the firearms, because it could lead to temptation, and temptation could lead to death.

Terrorist attacks are horrible and wrong, and we should always bring the guilty to justice when we can, but I think this guy needs to learn his lesson. He is not handling his firearm in the proper manner, and I hope his jail time gives him time to think about what he just did, and how he is going to (hopefully) do things differently from now on.

What I would ask this man is this:

1. Where did you obtain this firearm?
2. What do you need the firearm for?
3. What purpose does this firearm serve in a public location, like a movie theater?
4. Is there a place you can keep it locked and hidden when you go into public venues?
5. Do you have to have it with you at all times?
6. If so, why?
7. Do you have a holster you can keep it in when you're not using it?
8. And if so, did you have it with you when the gun went off?
9. Why were you handling it in a public venue like a movie theater?
10. Can you put a trigger lock on this firearm?

I don't think this man should even handle a firearm until he answers these 10 questions honestly. I'm all for legal conceal/carries, but this shouldn't have happened. Thank goodness the woman is going to be alright.