Since the shooting in Aurora, Colorado it appears as though permit holders in theaters have become the new witches. Three individuals were valid carry permits were asked to leave a theater by police officers in Cookeville, Tennessee and now a permit holder was removed at gunpoint by police in a theater in Milford, Connecticut:
The theater house lights were illuminated as Officers entered. Patrons were told to raise their hands and file from the theater. As they exited they were patted down and escorted outside.
Officers identified the suspect and with weapons drawn, ordered the suspect to put his hands up. He allegedly remained in his seat while using his cell phone.
He allegedly did not comply with the Officers’ commands, and was taken into custody by force. Officers allegedly removed a loaded handgun from the suspect’s waistband at the small of his back.
The armed man, Sung H. Hwang, age 46 of New Haven, was handcuffed and removed from the theater. Hwang possesses a valid State of CT permit to carry a pistol.
If I’m ever in a theater (or anywhere else) and police officers come in demanding I raise my hands and submit to a pat down I’m going to do what Mr. Hwang did, simply ignore them. Nobody should readily comply with police officers acting outside of the law. Unless officers have a warrant or are arresting you there is no reason you should be expected to submit to a pat down.
Furthermore there was no reason for the police to draw their weapons on a man who wasn’t being hostile. If you or I pulled our weapon on somebody playing on their cell phone we would likely find ourselves in jail, the same should apply to the police.
When all was said and done Mr. Hwang was arrested, the charges being Breach of Peace and Interfering with Police. I don’t know how either charge applies as sitting in a theater isn’t breaching peace and simply ignoring the police doesn’t qualify as interfering with them. It’s too bad the same state that employes the police also controls the courts because Mr. Hwang, as far as I’m concerned, was kidnaped by the police officers and is due compensation for the wrong that was committed against him.
I’m already sick of this witch hunt against permit holders in theaters.