A North Ridgeville man was arrested Saturday night after police say he brought weapons into a Westlake movie theater.
Scott A. Smith, 37, entered the 10 p.m. showing of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ at Crocker Park Regal Cinemas with a bag full of ammo and knives, according to Westlake police.
They said they found three magazines, one in a gun and two in the bag with 17 rounds each. Smith also had three hunting knives in the bag and one more on him under his clothes.
Police said Smith was the first person in the theater at the time of his arrest but up to 80 people would have been there 20 minutes later. He was sitting in the last row in a middle seat. This was a “tactical position,” according to officers, his back to the wall and facing out.
Smith has a wife and 1-year-old child, according to police. They said they searched his North Ridgeville home and found many weapons, including eight additional guns, lots of ammo, a gas mask and bulletproof vest.
Smith was charged Monday with four counts of carrying various weapons, one count carrying a concealed weapon with no permit and one count of carrying a weapon under disability.
Jeremiah Bullins, an off-duty Westlake police officer, searched Smith’s bag and found the weapons, potentially preventing a tragedy. Bullins has been on the force five years.
Police said they do not yet know a motive.
The incident comes just more than two weeks after 12 people were killed when James Holmes allegedly opened fire at a midnight showing of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in Aurora, Colorado.
Were you at Crocker Park Saturday night for ‘Dark Knight’? Let us know in the comment box below, tweet us or call 216-431-3700.
article courtesy of Newsnet5.com
