47°
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Movie theaters in Westchester County are stepping up security in the wake of a shooting in Colorado where at least 12 people were killed and dozens were hurt when a gunman opened fire at a movie theater in the Denver suburb of Aurora.
John Realbuto, manager of the Cortlandt Town Center theaters operated by Regal Entertainment Group, said the theater is instituting bag checks.
"We have our ushers checking the theaters three times each show to make sure they're safe and all the doors are closed and there's no disturbances," Realbuto said.
In Bronxville, a police car was parked outside Clearview Cinemas on Kraft Avenue, and an officer was standing inside the theater lobby.
Management at the New Roc City Regal Cinema 18 in New Rochelle said they can't talk to the media and referred questions to the Regal Entertainment Group headquarters. Calls to the corporate office were not immediately returned.
The Cinema De Lux in the White Plains City Center is one of the brands owned by Showcase Cinemas, which also owns theaters in Elmsford, Hawthorne and Yonkers. Their spokesperson, Rachel Lulay, released the following statement Friday:
"We share the shock and sadness of everyone in the exhibition community at the news of the tragedy in Colorado. The safety of our patrons and staff is of the utmost importance to us. For that reason, we do not discuss the internal security measures we have in place, but we are reinforcing those measures with our theater personnel."
Comments (3)
Security enhancements must include preventing unauthorized people from propping open exit/fire doors and then coming back in with their assault arsenals -- that's how the Colorado shooter got in. He purchased a ticket like everyone else, entered the theatre like a normal person, exited through an exit door, propped it open, and then returned through the same door that was still propped open, entered and opened fire. Unless theatres monitor their exit doors and other unauthorized or suspicious patron movements, this could happen anywhere.
And, susan.deacutis makes an excellent point! Theatre personnel must be trained, competent and experienced at spotting the suspicious movements and know for what they are looking when checking bags (even smart medical students are not necessarily cut out for such tasks). And for what exactly are they looking? The Colorado shooter had a semiautomatic rifle, an assault rifle, two handguns and a 12-gauge shotgun! I doubt those items will be stuffed in a bag. Further, what will theatre personnel do if they encounter someone who is trying to smuggle in a weapon, or comes through an unauthorized entryway armed to the teeth? Ask him politely to leave? Theatres need trained security professionals on staff on under contract as well.
Theatre owners and managers must do much more than check bags to ensure their patrons' safety as well as their own. Moreover, in addition to immediate measures, theatre owners should begin lobbying their elected officials for stricter gun control measures nationwide. We will not always be able to identify a killer, but we can certainly make it harder for people to purchase weapons and build bombs for the purpose of mass murder.
It's find to say we should not let this horrific act deter us from going about our lives. But, even after September 11, 2001, national security measures were put in place to prevent a repeat. After all the school, campus, mall and now movie theatre shootings, it's time we implemented security measures to protect our citizens, most of whom have been teenagers and young adults in these shootings since Columbine, from crazed individuals.
Be nice.You really can't judge a book by it's cover.Many a Doctor has taken tickets or even danced to pay for college.
If these ushers are going to check bags...you better get some competent people working there. The times I have been there...let's just say that they are not the top of the line people that I would trust mine or my families life with.