[chator]

It's all over the news, so hardly need to post a link to it. It never really occurred to me before that theaters were a place where a terrorist would strike, but its kind of a good location when you think about it; darkened theater, people distracted watching a movie, lots of people tightly spaced, especially on the opening night of a big film, people are bascially sitting targets, vulnerable, and unsuspecting. I wonder how this incident will impact the movie industry, all ready theaters in the U.S., theaters are beefing up security. Will we have to next get patted down? go through a metal detector, like at an airport? Hopefully theaters won't be impacted like the U.S. airline industry was after 9/11. Your thoughts?

[chator]

Oh, there is one U.S. precident that I can think of, Lincoln's assassination occurred in a darkened theater, or playhouse, but other than that I know of no other such instances before today's.

[NCC-73515]

People first think it's not real. That I guess is the worst aspect of it. Otherwise, you would also have to increase security in large shopping centers, restaurants, lecture halls, ballrooms,...

[Captain Tom Coughlin]

It won't impact movies or movie going because this was a random attack by a psychopath. It could have happened anywhere.

[omegaman]

I used to worry about this straight after 911. Probably the initial reason I stopped going to the movie theatre. Prime target, lots of people, with only a few exits that can be easily controlled. Sad to see its finally happened for real.

[Captain Tom Coughlin]

This has less in common with 9/11 than it does with an event like Columbine or the Virginia Tech shooting. This isn't organized terrorisim, or violence in the name of a cause. It's individual psychopaths doing crazy things.

[omegaman]

Originally Posted by Captain Tom Coughlin

This has less in common with 9/11 than it does with an event like Columbine or the Virginia Tech shooting. This isn't organized terrorisim, or violence in the name of a cause. It's individual psychopaths doing crazy things.

Yes, I realize that, but after 911, I was concerned about going anywhere there were large groups, particularly movie theaters a natural reaction for me anyway, for the reasons I stated above.

Did not mean to imply that this act of a psychopath was in any way related to an act of terrorism, only that the nature of the venue recalled a specific memory relating to my thoughts after 911.

[horatio]

Originally Posted by chator

Your thoughts?

Metal detectors and cops at every public place or stricter gun laws is really a no brainer.

[Captain Tom Coughlin]

Metal detectors everywhere? Who wants to live like that? And cops at every public place is simply not possible. I'll take my chances. Let's not blow these incidents out of proportion. The US has a population of over 300 million. I don't have to worry about getting shot tonight if I go out. The odds just aren't there.

It's a tragedy, as it is anytime innocent people get hurt. It's not something to fear. I have a better chance of getting hit by a plane than I do of getting gunned down at the movies.

[Akula2ssn]

Originally Posted by Captain Tom Coughlin

Metal detectors everywhere? Who wants to live like that? And cops at every public place is simply not possible. I'll take my chances. Let's not blow these incidents out of proportion. The US has a population of over 300 million. I don't have to worry about getting shot tonight if I go out. The odds just aren't there.

It's a tragedy, as it is anytime innocent people get hurt. It's not something to fear. I have a better chance of getting hit by a plane than I do of getting gunned down at the movies.

It's doable, but not likely sustainable. Especially in places where you have high traffic volume. That's kind of the big thing about trying to plan security. It's difficult to deploy assets to beef up security when you're lacking specific intel. 99.99% of the work in law enforcement or security is at most talking to people. Events like this make up way less than 1% and these are typically your worst case scenarios. If a person really wants to do harm, the best you can do is reduce their chances of success.