Yet another Gun at Batman showing - Connecticut this time

[liberal N proud]

Man Brings Gun Into New Haven Movie Theater

New Haven police apprehended a man who brought a loaded handgun into a movie theater during a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, he said he brought the gun with him to feel safe.

Sung Ho Hwang, a 46-year-old attorney from New Haven, was arrested and charged with breach of peace and interfering with police after it was discovered he brought a loaded hand gun into the theater.

"I normally do not carry, but I live in downtown New Haven and the movie was getting out at 1 a.m., so I felt that I should protect myself since I was alone," Hwang, who has a valid permit to carry a gun, said during a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

New Haven Police responded to Criterion-Bow Tie Cinemas at 86 Temple St. after receiving a call reporting a man with a gun inside theater one or two.

According to police, an usher said at least three patrons inside the theater saw that Hwang had a holster with a gun in it and alerted theater staff, who then called police.

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Man-Brings-Gun-Into-New-Haven-Movie-Theater-165380416.html

It was just this past Saturday there was one here in Suburbia Cleveland
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021089892


Next, we will hear how this mans rights were violated.

[NightWatcher]

1. he had a permit for the gun and was charged?

[X_Digger]

9. Apparently for 'being uncooperative'.

Carrying the gun into the theater was not illegal- per CT law, a private business must post a sign saying that concealed weapons are not allowed there- and if you carry past such a sign, it's a $500 fine and/or up to three years in prison.

http://cga.ct.gov/2011/pub/chap529.htm#Sec29-35.htm

[rocktivity]

19. Sounds like a case of "Sargeant Jim Crow-ley Syndrome"

Remember Skip Gates, that black college professor in Boston (and a friend of Obama's) who got busted after breaking into his own home -- which is NOT illegal? Gates showed the cops ID and proof of residence, and got angry when they still didn't leave. He was busted for disorderly conduct -- but only AFTER the cops (one of whom was named James Crowe) talked him into leaving the house!

This sounds terribly familiar. Sung Ho Hwang showed that he owned the gun legally, probably got the pissed that the cops kept hassling him. And if he looked like a minority, I'm sure THAT didn't help. So they bust him for "interference," if only for the PR value. Yep, I see a nice yummy civil suit coming...


rocktivity

[X_Digger]

20. I'm ambivalent, to be frank.

I can see the police reacting the way they did, in light of the Aurora shooting, but it appears they did overreact.

If this guy was looking for a lawsuit, I'll expect him to have had his cellphone camera recording, and / or a voice recorder.

[Lurks Often]

21. I'm not sure where you are seeing that in 29-35

Not saying you are wrong or lying, it's just that I've gone through it a couple of times and not seen that stated

[X_Digger]

22. Sorry, scroll up.. 29-28 is the start of licensing / regs, 29-37 is the penalty part..

(e) The issuance of any permit to carry a pistol or revolver does not thereby authorize the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver in any premises where the possession or carrying of a pistol or revolver is otherwise prohibited by law or is prohibited by the person who owns or exercises control over such premises.
.....
(a) Any person violating any provision of section 29-28 or 29-31 shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than three years or both, and any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in violation of any of said provisions shall be forfeited.

[Lurks Often]

23. Thanks! n/t

[Marr]

2. So much cowardice and paranoia.

For god's sake-- who goes to a movie expecting an armed assault, just because it happened at one showing somewhere?

[liberal N proud]

14. Two showings

Westlake Ohio and Aurora

[kctim]

17. For real

Was he acting weird or something and that caused those four people to be so paranoid?

[CBGLuthier]

3. If he has so much fear why does he not go to the movies during the day?

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Maybe he works during the day?

[tiny elvis]

30. claiming fear as a reason to pack heat is almost universal

answering why one might be afraid (because someone else may be packing)
makes a full circle of the argument

questions like yours expose the false claims of fear
dreaming of heroic confrontations obviously supersedes fear
some call it wishing a motherfucker would
george zimmerman was both fearful and seeking confrontation

[oldhippie]

5. Interesting. Looks like he may have been looking for .....

... a civil lawsuit. He had a permit to carry. He wasn't charged with a firearms violation. The cops over reacted to the theatre patrons reaction. They had to charge him with something to save face. Oh yeah, he's a lawyer and president-elect of the Bar Association. Maybe he has an agenda? Civil suit, here we come.

[CTyankee]

13. I know this theatre, altho I live in another part of New Haven. I know the type of patrons that

go to it. The last thing they would want to see in their movie theatre is a person carrying a gun. The theatre is in the arts section of the city, which has been trying to keep its aura of civility and sophistication during a rough economic time. The culture is very much shaped by the presence of Yale. Because of Yale's exalted status, this part of New Haven has a lively center of nice boutiques and great restaurants, in addition to live theatre, art galleries and the New Haven Symphony. So it does not surprise me one bit that the theatre would want to keep its client base happy. And why not? The other clients are peaceful and happy. This guy injected either his greed or his politics into what is otherwise a supremely civilized group of people.

[oldhippie]

24. "The last thing they would want to see in their ..."

So if these upscale, sophisticated patrons happened to walk into their library and see a skinhead reading "The Turner Diaries" or "Mein Kampf" at one of the library tables, would they call the police? Would the librarian ask them to leave? Should a sign be posted to keep such nasty, hate-filled books out of the library? Those books have probably been responsible for more death and violence than anyone's gun.

Would the police respond to a call from the library that someone was reading a hateful book? And before you say a book can't kill anyone, neither can a gun, without a human pulling the trigger. In fact, I'd posit that just two books (the Bible and the Koran) have killed many more people than guns.

[CTyankee]

25. Oh, they'd agree with you about the sway of books over some people.

They are highly educated and many have devoted their entire lives to the study, discussion and teaching of ideas (good and bad,just as you point out). I'm sure they would very much enjoy having the debate with you that you have raised here.

But you have to understand their culture. Very different from a gun culture. They think a gun culture is basically uncivilized. They would say it is inconsistent with a civil society. They, and those who were here before them formed that culture. It is what they want in their lives.

[oldhippie]

26. Yeah, I'm familiar with the culture

I was born and raised just a few miles west of the CT/MA/NY junction. Still have a bunch of family in the area. But I grew up, traveled the world, and learned new things about many different cultures. I now live in Texas (talk about a different culture) and have no problem fitting in with the "gun culture." I guess I always rather adapt than argue. To each their own.

You're right about every region/group/society having its own ideas of what is a "normal" society. That's why I am glad we have a lot of different regions in the country, and get a little nervous about federalizing social laws to make them consistent across the country. Whatever they are, a bunch of people won't like them.

[CTyankee]

27. I made the opposite trajectory: from Texas where I grew up to the NE where I have lived

ever since (if you count D.C. for 9 years in the NE). I am happy in New Haven, as I am close to my kids in MA and in NYC. I never fit in in Texas. I left for college and never went back to live. Lately, I have been doing a lot of foreign travel to indulge my art addiction. I am happy in old European cities and if I were younger I would try to find a way to live there, at least for several months a year...

[oldhippie]

28. I also like the old European cities

They seem very comfortable with themselves, though there is probably a lot of dissent under the surface that most tourists don't see. I was in Athens a few years ago and the people seemed a little on edge even then.

I also have a new found appreciation for European art. In the last few years I have spent quite a bit of time in Munich and really like their old master's museum. I could easily live in Munich for a few months a year (especially to get out of Texas in the summer!) And I got to spend a couple days in the Prado in Madrid. Next month I plan to finally visit the NY Met Museum of Art.

Foreign travel is very enlightening. At last count I have been in 28 countries (and all 50 states.) Lived for more than six months in six different countries. It makes you think.

[CTyankee]

31. Hey, you should visit my Friday AFternoon Challenge here at DU in GD! It's all about art (usually).

5 pm EDT Friday Afternoon is when I post it. I have a great Challenge this week! If nothing else, it will pique your interest, but I'll bet you know a lot of it!

Oh, did I love Madrid! The Prado and La Reina Sofia! My trip to Spain for art in 2008 changed my life! I was entranced by Madrid and by the Guggenheim in Bilbao. I did like Barcelona but was put off by all the crowds...it would have been a great place to go 30 years ago...sad, really...

Oh yes, get thee to NYC. In March I was in the Frick for their very nice Renoir, full length paintings of couples dancing. In July I saw Adele Bloch-Bauer and other Klimt's at the Neue Galerie. Adele is permanent (since 2006 when Ron Lauder bought it for the Galerie) but the others were loans. Good stuff. I LOVE house museums!

If you can get back to Europe, I hope you can get to the Hague and see Girl with Pearl Earring and esp. View of Delft, both of course by Vermeer. The Maurtishaus is closed for renovation but they have those two paintings in other galleries in town. I nearly fainted looking at View of Delft, it is so magnificent.

Hope you get to Amsterdam! Went last fall on a barge to visit towns where the Dutch Old Masters painted. Two big stops in Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum. Must see!

Have you been to Paris? I could write a book...

Florence? I did an 8 day intensive on the Early Renaissance there and it was fabulous. Don't go without asking me for my list of "must see" art you might not otherwise encounter...

Sorry to go on and on...my obsession...

[oldhippie]

32. I have seen your Fri PM Art Challenge postings ...

... but never really looked at them as I didn't think I'm even close to the level that you or the other art aficionados here have attained. I guess I'll have to start paying attention and see if a newbie can recognize anything.

My art interest only appeared about six years ago, a few years before I retired. I went to the museums in Munich on work trips, and went to Madrid for 3 days in May of 2008 when returning from a Med cruise. Did a tour of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters. The Acropolis and Agora in Athens also in 2008. Those are the only major sites I've been to in Europe. Paris and Amsterdam are on my list, as is St. Petersburg.

In the US I have only been to the Nat'l Gallery in DC, Dallas MoA, and Chicago. I plan to spend at least 4 days in NYC. If you do American art, I was born near the Hudson River and within sight of Olana, the Frederick E. Church estate. I took a tour of it last year. That was why I went to the Dallas MoA to see his painting "Icebergs."

Thanks for all the info. Somehow I am sure this all ties back into the discussion as to why that lawyer was carrying a concealed handgun into the theatre. It must be a deep cultural thing!

[CTyankee]

34. Ok, dear one. yes...we have a deep tie here....

Sorry if I went a little crazy on you with my rant...it's just my art thing...

You must get to Paris. I mean, really. This is important. Get a book on the Louvre so you know what is where and then plan your strategy. Otherwise, you'll be frustrated. Decide what you want to see, besides the mona lisa. My suggestion: the marriage at cana by veronese, the Death of the Virgin by Caravaggio and the entire series of Romantic period art which includes Delacroix and Gericault.

I'm serious. Just do it.

[rocktivity]

6. "New Haven Police responded

...after receiving a call reporting a man with a gun inside theater one or two."

"Theater one OR two?" Shouldn't they have gotten THAT straight first? Way to end up shooting a perfectly innocent person!


rocktivity

[oldhippie]

11. The real problem, ....

... is why would anyone call the police just because someone has a gun? Persons doing that should be cited for filing a frivolous report.

[CTyankee]

12. I can think of a good reason.

Aurora.

[liberal N proud]

15. Gee, I wonder why?

[nc4bo]

7. Does the theater have a No Guns Policy? nt

[Lurks Often]

8. He is about to become quite a bit richer

after the lawsuit that New Haven will almost certainly lose.

Hwang had a CT Carry permit and there is no requirement in CT that the firearm be concealed, so he broke no laws. Also the theater in question did NOT have a no guns allowed sign posted.

[sarcasmo]

10. Sounds like going to see Batman is the new extreme sport.

Taking my nephew to see Batman on the IMAX tonight at 6pm.

[liberal N proud]

16. I am thinking this is a movie that I don't need to see.

[uponit7771]

18. +1, ill wait for dvd

[Jennicut]

29. Geez, I have walked out in downtown New Haven at 3:00 in the morning and did not need to pack heat.

If you go looking for trouble in the area you will find it but it is hardly a war zone. I have hung out late at night around Toad's Place for years and never saw any shootings. I have lived in CT my entire life (36 years) and most people around here are not the gun carrying in a theater type. Paranoia, this is what it does to people.

[LanternWaste]

37. I guess you're just not the rootinist'-tootinist cowpoke west of the Rio Grande

"I have walked out in downtown New Haven at 3:00 in the morning and did not need to pack heat."

I guess you're just not the rootinist-tootinist cowpoke west of the Rio Grande... either that, or, as you said, you're simply not paranoid or looking for a confrontation to save yourself from. Me too.

[petronius]

33. I understand why the police were concerened, but this bothers me:

"Police entered Theater 1 and asked the patrons to raise their hands and file out of the theater. As they exited, they were patted down and escorted outside."

Patting down a group of people because the group might contain an individual who might be doing something illegal strikes me as an unacceptable intrusion. It seems to me that everyone's rights were violated; I'm in no way a lawyer, but doesn't a frisk or pat-down require a reasonable suspicion that the individual in question is engaged in criminal activity?

[liberal N proud]

35. And if he had shot a dozen people?

[petronius]

36. I'm sure that would be the police justification, and like I said: I

understand their concern and maybe the response was legal, proportional and appropriate.

But at the same time I'm made nervous by such a general reaction, I can see a lot of improper and unsavory applications of a tactic to detain and frisk an entire group of people in response to an (apparently anonymous) report of possibly illegal activity. Crime prevention - even violent crime - isn't a trump card over privacy and civil rights.

'Thank how bad it could have been' is a tempting rationale, but it has pitfalls and I think it needs to be examined critically...