Skip to main content

Florida man shot, killed in movie theater because he was texting

florida man shot movie theater wouldnt stop texting grove 16 shooting
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Detailed by CNN earlier today, a 43-year-old Florida man named Chad Oulson was killed today by 71-year-old Curtis Reeves in a movie theater during a showing of Lone Survivor this afternoon after the two men got into an argument over texting. According to the account detailed by Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, Oulson was sending a text message meant for his 3-year old daughter when Reeves, a retired Tampa police officer, initiated a verbal altercation with Oulson over the use of the mobile phone during the previews. 

Reeves exited the theater momentarily, then returned after a short time. Oulson apparently asked Reeves if he reported Oulson to the theater’s management and the argument escalated. According to other patrons of the theater, popcorn was being thrown around between the two men. At this point, Reeves pulled a .380 handgun and shot Oulson in the chest. The wife of the victim, Nichole Oulson, attempted to protect her husband by placing her hand over her husband’s chest prior to the shot.

Chad-Oulson-family
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Two off-duty nurses in the theater rushed to the aid of Oulson and attempted CPR in order to save the victim’s life. Unfortunately, Oulson died from the gunshot wound and Oulson’s wife had to be treated for an injury to her hand caused by the gunshot. Regarding Reeves, an off-duty police officer was also within the theater at the time and was able to quickly secure the gun as well as make sure Reeves didn’t leave the theater until the local police arrived at the scene. The other 25 patrons within the same theater were then evacuated and the other 15 theaters within the complex were also evacuated. 

Recommended Videos

Speaking in detail about the incident during a press conference, Nocco stated “It’s absolutely crazy that it would rise to this level of (violence) over somebody texting at a movie theater…Everybody is paranoid, scared, because a movie theater should be a safe place where people should be able to go out and enjoy themselves. But what America has seen over the last couple of years is that movie theaters have become dangerous places where injuries occur.”

Chris-Nocco-theater-shooting-texting
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cobb Theatres also released a statement which said “We are deeply saddened by the events that occurred earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. The theatre is currently closed, and we are actively working with the sheriff’s office on this investigation. This was an isolated altercation between two guests that escalated unexpectedly. The safety, security and comfort of our guests and team members are always our top priorities, and we are truly heartbroken by this incident.” The theater had a zero tolerance policy for “weapons of any kind” being carried onto the property. 

At the scene, Reeves was arrested and charged with second-degree homicide. According to the Tampa Tribune, Reeves had retired in 1993 at the rank of Captain in the Tampa police department. In addition, Reeves had worked at Busch Gardens as the director of security until retiring again in 2005. Reeves was also responsible for establishing the Tampa police department’s Tactical Response Team.

Mike Flacy
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
Google’s Pixel Weather app just got two new features. Here’s how they work
The Pixel Weather app on a Google Pixel 9.

The Pixel Weather app has been the focus of a lot of attention lately as Google revamps the user experience and adds more features. Now, there's more good news: two of those promised functions — the Pollen count card and immersive vibrations — are newly available, at least for some users.

Thanks to "immersive weather vibrations," the Pixel Weather app vibrates to match the animated backgrounds it displays, with intensity levels that mirror the precipitation amount (because it's not just rainfall), according to 9to5Google. Of course, if you don't like the feature, you can disable it in the account menu.

Read more
2025 could finally be the year of a budget-friendly Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
A person closing the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The idea of a more budget-friendly Samsung clamshell has gained steam as well-known leakers drop more and more hints that a new Galaxy Z Flip is on the way. Today, another leak from someone in the know adds even more credence to that rumor.

Ross Young made a post on X where he suggested that Samsung might release a Z Flip 7 FE in 2025 with the clamshell design fans have waited for. Young has a proven record for accurate leaks, and their work in the supply chain gives him a unique insight into what companies are working on.

Read more
Google just announced Android 16. Here’s everything new
The Android 16 logo on a smartphone, resting on a shelf.

No, that headline isn't a typo. A little over a month after Android 15 was released to the masses in October, Google has already announced Android 16 and begun rolling out its first developer beta of the newest Android version.

If this seems like a much earlier release than usual, that's because it is. We typically expect the first developer beta of the next Android update to arrive in February. For Android 16, however, Google has pushed the timeline up by a few months and launched Android 16 Developer Preview 1 in mid-November.
Why Android 16 is launching so much earlier

Read more