“Good Guy” With Gun Commits Murder In Florida Theater

The right-wingers and other Second Amendment devotees claim that “good guys with guns will prevent killings by bad guys with guns.”

However, in a Florida theater this myth has been busted.

A retired police officer (a good guy) was offended by another theater goer’s texting during the “Coming Attractions”. An argument followed and the “good guy” shot the offensive texter and his wife, killing the husband.

Fortunately for the “good guy” this happened in Florida, where he can use the “Stand your ground” law to guarantee an acquittal for murdering the theater patron, while wounding the other. It will be another victory for Second Amendment advocates and more proof that more “good guys” with guns is a dandy idea.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/13/tampa-bay-movie-theater-shooting_n_4590721.html

 

What makes him a "Good Guy"?

 

Should people be allowed to carry firearms anywhere they wish?

 

I'm sure he considered himself a "responsible gun owner".

 

So you know him?

 

Police Officers are considered "Good Guys" for simply wearing uniform at one point in their life? Strange... I never thought anyone was a "Good Guy" for simply wearing a uniform.

 

Qualified persons should be, yes, with limited exceptions.

I live in the area this happened. I don't know if I've been to the theater, but I may have, and some friends of mine go there frequently. I didn't know the victim, but a friend of mine did. He may have held a Florida Concealed Carry permit, but as a retired law enforcement officer, he could legally carry without one. "No guns" signs are not legally binding, so even though reportedly the theater had them, unless he has done something since he retired that made him ineligible to carry (and I've heard no information that he did, just pointing out it is hypothetically possible), his having the firearm was completely legal.

From everything I've been able to gather, the victim became a bit belligerent after the shooter reported him to management. Whether or not this belligerence rose to the level of sufficient action that a reasonable person would be in fear of death or grave bodily injury (the legal standard for self defense to apply) to justify a shooting I don't know. Based on the fact that the shooter did not get bail, it seems to me the prosecution does not think it did.

Having said all that, something is off about this case. A 71 year old former police captain, who went on to become the Chief of Security at Busch Gardens has certainly handled hundreds of belligerent persons in his lifetime, and I've heard no news that he ever shot anyone before. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened, but I expect now that we're 28 hours post-event, if it had, the news would have reported it by now.

So why now, after 71 years, many of which were spent successfully dealing with belligerent persons and never feeling the need to shoot one was this case different? At 71 years old, is he suffering some kind of dementia? Was it an accidental discharge? I don't know. Maybe we'll never know.

But I know that Florida has over 1,000,000 current concealed weapons licensees, and has been issuing licenses since 1987, and, to my knowledge, this is the first time something like this has happened. This very isolated incident does not justify more gun grabbing debates. We need to let the wheels of justice grind.

My prediction: He'll never see the outside of a prison again. Unless there are mitigating factors that have not yet been made public (like the victim had punched him in the face 6 or 8 times before he fired), I don't see him getting off.

 

Good points, thanks.

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Good points, thanks.

 

"good guy commits murder"

 

Retired Tampa City Police Captain and the head of security at Busch Gardens.

 

Yep. Probably so.

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Should periodic re-qualification to own/carry firearms be required in America?

 

Just think, there could be thousands of "good guys" ready to snap like this "good guy." The solution: more guns in the hands of more "good guys." But, some of them might go off the deep end, solution: even more guns in the hands of even more "good guys." And so on.

 

What makes him other than a "good guy"?

 

Should periodic mental examinations to own/carry firearms be required in America?

 

Don't they all, . . . until they crack?

 

You're kidding. You must believe murdering a man for texting doesn't diminish his "good guy" status.

 

Is it time to require periodic renewal of firearms licenses?

Why is a person truly qualified to own, possess or use a firearm? (How do we know?)

 

Before I claim someone a good person I have known them for many years, broke bread with them, worked beside them, cried and laughed with them and had several beers at the local pub looking for stupid. Profession has nothing to do with a person being a good guy.

You and I have different standards.

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You tell me, I never claimed he was a "Good Guy". I do not know him.

 

Some people won't learn, until a bullet rips-through and tears out the flesh of a loved-one (or their very own).

Yes, it is a VALID question:

How do we determine WHO should be allowed to possess/carry firearms?

If we cannot ask that type of question, then we probably aren't being logical or fully sane.

 

Yep. They surely do.

 

You started the OP claiming he is a good guy. I am not so free to claim such.

 

So - how did we know he was not a good guy prior to him doing this?

PS bet you he has some form of dementia

 

Never said you did, just giving you the rationale for the good guy label.

I didn't know him either, but cops are considered the good guys in most parts.

 

Sooooooo - the only people who should own guns are people you personally know?