Man Accused of Murder Over Theater Texting Was Also Texting

 By 
Colin Daileda
 on 
Man Accused of Murder Over Theater Texting Was Also Texting
Curtis Reeves during a court bond hearing in February. Credit: The Tampa Tribune, Andy Jones, pool

A Florida man accused of fatally shooting another man for texting during a movie appears to have sent a text of his own right before the incident.

Curtis Reeves, a 71-year-old retired police officer, is accused of killing Chad Oulson, 43, in February because he was texting in a Pasco County theater during previews that preceded a 1:20 p.m. showing of "Lone Survivor."

But Reeves sent a text to his son, Matthew, minutes before he fired a shot.

Matthew Reeves was supposed to meet his parents at the theater, but was late, according to the Associated Press, because he had decided to wash his truck beforehand. Moments after he arrived, he heard a gunshot.

Matthew, who is a Tampa Bay police officer, held a t-shirt against Oulson's chest as the man bled to death.

Curtis Reeves is on trial for second-degree murder as well as aggravated battery; the bullet that killed Oulson also nicked his wife. He's looking at a minimum of 25 years behind bars if he's convicted.

Reeves is pleading self-defense for now, saying that Oulson assaulted him before he fired his weapon, but the Associated Press reports that not even Reeves' wife saw Oulson attacked him.

The accused also got into an argument with a woman back in December over texting in a movie theater, according to court documents. He complained to a manager, then stared at her throughout the film.

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