“A southwest Missouri man accused of plotting to shoot up a movie theater during the new Twilight film was charged Friday after his mother contacted police,” foxnews.com reports, “telling them she worried her son had purchased weapons similar to those used during the fatal Colorado theater shooting.” Blaec Lammers [above] was headed to his local cinema in Bolivar, Missouri, owned by B&B Theaters. Although I can’t find any official policy about firearms on B&B’s websites, I contacted their theater in Bolivar. A representative told TTAG (firmly) “we do not allow firearms on this premises.” This statement is backed-up by a post-Aurora midnight movie massacre news story by ky3.com, after B&B management intercepted a patron attempting to attend a movie while open carrying . . .
Ozark — A man walked into the Ozark B&B theaters on Saturday afternoon with a gun on his hip–in plain view.
Theater staff immediately called authorities around 3p.m. when the incident happened. Ozark police officers and Christian County deputies escorted the man out of the theater.
After checking to make sure he did not have any outstanding warrants, officers told the man he could return without the gun, or he would have to leave the theater.
Christian County Sheriff Joey Kyle said the man didn’t do anything illegal.
“Missouri is a carry state, in others words, you can carry weapons in Missouri exposed, you can carry weapons concealed, if you have a conceal and carry permit. He said he just exercising his right to carry a firearm,” said Sheriff Kyle.
Here’s what tipped off Lammers’ Mom, who tipped off the police [via fox]:
His mother contacted authorities Thursday, saying she worried that with this weekend’s opening of the final film in the popular Vampire movie series, her son “may have intentions of shooting people at the movie,” police wrote in the probable cause statement.
She said she thought the weapons — two assault rifles and hundreds of bullets — resembled those used by a gunman who opened fire inside a theater in Aurora, Colo., during the latest Batman movie in July. That attack killed 12 people.
Lammers was questioned Thursday afternoon and told authorities he bought tickets to a Sunday “Twilight” screening in Bolivar and planned to shoot people inside the theater. The town of roughly 10,000 people is about 130 miles southeast of Kansas City.
ABCnews.com reports that Lammers was having mental issues before the purchase.
Police characterized Lammers as “being off his medication,” but he was able to purchase the rifles on Monday and Tuesday this week. He then practiced shooting them in Aldrich, Mo.
More info as it becomes available. But rest assured this incident will give new and timely ammunition to the pols who have their sights set on a new assault weapons ban. But not with as much force as if Lammers had carried out his evil plan. Thank God.