news-record.com

Skip to the site menu
Skip to search

NEWS

Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Shooting erupts at 'Notorious' movie

Saturday, January 17, 2009
(Updated 10:06 pm)
By Ryan Seals
Staff Writer

GREENSBORO - A 32-year-old man was shot twice in the abdomen during an argument and an estimated 700 people were evacuated when gunfire broke out at a Greensboro movie theater Friday night.

The sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the lobby of the Grand 18 at Four Seasons Station just after 9 p.m. as moviegoers waited to get into opening night showings of "Notorious" - the life and death story of the rapper Notorious B.I.G.

Greensboro police Lt. James Hinson said the victim, identified early Saturday morning as Clive O’Connor, was rushed to Moses Cone Hospital, where he underwent surgery. His medical condition was not immediately available.

No suspects were in custody late Friday night.

"We can't say whether or not this shooting is in direct relationship to the movie 'Notorious' B.I.G. We just can't say," Hinson said. The theater had three showings of the film scheduled for 9:30 p.m.

Rapper and actor Jamal "Gravy" Woolard, who plays B.I.G. in the film, was in the theater at the time of the shooting, police and witnesses said.

Details regarding the visit, including whether there was additional
security or if it had any role in the shooting were not immediately
available.

Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, died in 1997 in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His death remains unsolved.

The movie theater and parking lot at 2700 Vanstory St. were evacuated after dozens of police swarmed to the scene.

"We were just standing there talking and we heard a 'Pow!'" said Jasmine Seapoe, who was with a group of friends waiting to get into a 9:30 p.m. showing of "Notorious."

"The next thing we know there were a bunch of people running in the opposite direction, and the cops came and asked us if we saw anything and started directing everyone to get out," she said.

Janell Pruitt, a friend of Seapoe's, said the crowd's reaction to the gunshot was delayed because a woman was coming through the hallway with a balloon bouquet.

"Everybody thought it was the balloons popping,'' Pruitt said, "but it was a gunshot because a balloon couldn't be that loud."

Once everyone realized what was going on, Pruitt said, a stampede of people starting running toward the exits. Some people, including one of Pruitt's and Seapoe's friends, received minor injuries.

The theater and parking lot were cleared by about 10 p.m. as crime scene investigators made their way inside the theater to collect evidence.

The Grand 18 will honor tickets today for customers whose movies were interrupted by the shooting Friday, said Lisa Burwell, a spokeswoman for Southern Theaters, the parent company of the Grand 18.

However, all showings of "Notorious" will be suspended indefinitely at the Grand 18, Burwell said. Customers with tickets to Friday's showing of "Notorious" should contact the theater for details regarding a refund.

Police are asking witnesses to the shooting or anyone with information linked to the crime to call Greensboro Crime Stoppers at 373-1000. Callers remain anonymous and become eligible for a cash reward.

 

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com

 

 

Accompanying Photos

Ryan Seals

Photo Caption: One person was shot at the Grand 18 Four Seasons Station cinema Friday night.

Comments

This article has been closed to new comments. Comments are generally closed after 14 days. However, comments may be closed earlier at the discretion of the News & Record.

Inappropriate content? Please notify us.

JoeScott

January 17, 2009 - 9:21 am EST

This is the last thing the Four Seasons Grand needed, what with all the theaters in town struggling with the economy just like all other businesses. When I reviewed the three "Grand(e)" theaters for a GoTriad cover story last year, we had ruled that the Four Seasons Grand was probably the best theater in town for families. Now I'm guessing that a lot of families might be staying away.

What's crazy is that if I hadn't watched two episodes of "Friday Night Lights" last night, I would have seen the whole thing go down. Here's the story I wrote about it: http://tinyurl.com/8bopzz .

This is just sad that something like this happened in a movie theater, where pretty much everyone goes to get away from the insanity of the real world.

notoriousBLOG

January 17, 2009 - 10:03 am EST

"We can't say whether or not this shooting is in direct relationship to the movie 'Notorious' B.I.G. We just can't say," Hinson said. The theater had three showings of the film scheduled for 9:30 p.m.
??????????????????????????
Well I can say it for you! Yes it did! Anyone who goes to this movie will be there wanting to witness something like this. Violence begets violence, and these people have violence beat into their brains everytime they listen to this trash. Oh yeah, isn't Hinson the one who was at the center of the Wray fiasco.

myvoice

January 17, 2009 - 11:42 am EST

It's disappointing to hear someone make generalizations about a group of people. I'm sure not ALL people in the theater were looking for violence. I'm sure there were moviegoers that were truly interested in the life and career of the main character.

However, I'm somewhat confused as to why the title of the movie was actually mentioned. Sure there were people standing in line to get in, but I'm sure there were people standing in line for other movies. If the same thing had taken place in My bloody Valentie or Valkyrie, would the movie get the same honorable or should I say dishonorable mention? Personally, I don't really care what movie they were attending. What happened was crazy and I'm happy not more people were hurt or killed.

JoeScott

January 17, 2009 - 12:10 pm EST

I think that listing the movie was relevant, and is crucial to the story at hand because there is a sickening trend of shootings at movies that deal with African American gang culture. If you ever saw the Wayans Brothers' comedy "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking the Juice in the Hood," you might remember that they even had a joke during the opening credits to this effect.

And before people start to say this correlation is limited to the race of a movie's main characters, something similar happened when a person got stabbed during a screening of "Scream 2."

Are the people who make these movies at least partially responsible when the violence they depict on-screen tragically segues into reality? It's a difficult question to answer, but one that should be addressed by the public nonetheless.

exjournalist

January 17, 2009 - 1:17 pm EST

I witnessed the events last night. To say that this movie had nothing to do with the shooting would be like saying the gun had nothing to do with the shooting. The movie did not cause one young man to shoot another young man but it did attract a large number of people who are interested in the culture which surrounds (read: plagues) hip-hop and 90's gangster rap. To dispute this coralation would be akin to saying that when a new Pixar movie opens a jump in kids combos sold at the threatre is completely coincedental.

Friday there was a crush of people attending the evening shows of 'Notorious.' People roughly 15 deep in three lines in sub-freezing temperatures to buy tickets. While I was not in line to see that film, many others were angered when they realized after the wait that the 6-8 p.m. showings were sold out. Then inside there were equally long lines for popcorn and still more lines outside auditoriums for the 9-10 p.m. shows. Without a visible security presence it was easy to see how the crowd degenerated.

You take a couple hundred people leaving a movie about a murdered icon who are emotionally charged and you release them into an hallway filled with several hundred frustrated people who had endured unusually cold temperatures and in some cases an hour wait for a later movie. If you introduce a gun or two and some prior beef then you get a nightmare.

It is sad. It is horrible. The movie didn't cause this but it did help create the condiditons for it to happen. I'm glad no children were caught in the mix and noone was trampled like the Walmart episode of a few weeks past. I hope our new president can show a generation of people that it is ok to aspire to more than the street. Otherwise we are going to continue to see this behavior in malls and theatres across the country. Young men without the proper outlet to prove themselves will turn violent.

Radycl

January 17, 2009 - 5:46 pm EST

Our new president will show you he does not care about the little people. He used them to get his seat. He will dissapoint you in the near future.

Radycl

January 17, 2009 - 5:44 pm EST

I am afraid to say you are wrong about the motives of most that went to see movie. It was predicted last week that this was going to happen. It amy have even sparked it to happen. But never the less it was done by thugs in froont of thugs to impress thugs. I am glad it was shut down and hope it fails in the rest of the country. Biggie may or may not have been the type of person he portrayed in his music, but that kind of music causes more violence than any other kind. It needs to be outlawed in stores. Now this is just an opinion by me

Tre4

January 17, 2009 - 6:01 pm EST

Thank you for stating that so properlly. They put the name of the movie in the paper to scare people away. YOu are right as a cititizen it doesn't matter what they was going to see. The point is someone brought a gun tothe movies and it seems to me that person waslooking for trouble!!!

Tre4

January 17, 2009 - 6:01 pm EST

Thank you for stating that so properlly. They put the name of the movie in the paper to scare people away. YOu are right as a cititizen it doesn't matter what they was going to see. The point is someone brought a gun tothe movies and it seems to me that person waslooking for trouble!!!

myvoice

January 17, 2009 - 2:58 pm EST

This movie is about a young man in the music business who happens to be a rapper. His story has a dark side to it and, I'm sorry to say, is a common theme among musicians. Drugs, violence, and run-ins with the law are headlines that go hand and hand with entertainers these days. His story is one of many. The statment that "violence begets violence and these people" is fitting in that Christopher Wallace would be my age if he were alive. I am sure he would remember a time when the biggest gangsters in film were Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather. Before Boys n da hood and New Jack City there was Godfather and Scarface, sadly there were also shootings in public places. To make the assumption that this was related to a movie instead of a small minded street conflick is a pretty big leap. Just like it would be for me to say this is all Francis Ford Coppola's fault.

Tre4

January 17, 2009 - 5:55 pm EST

WHy would you even think a movie had an impact on this stupid act??? It is the peole themselves. If they haven't seen the movie then WHAT?? The shooting happened as many crimes do but if you watch CSI and go shoot a man and have your gun in a trash bag to catch the bullets then what?? Is CSI resposible for your actionno you are. A person actions are what they make them. I want to samck and fight plenty of people but my everyday life makes me think. The movie had nothing to do withthe shooting the person whom fired the shoot must not feel safe walking around from somethings he may have done inthe streets. I figure he thought he was watching his back by carrying a gun to the movie!! In actuality he knew someone must have been after him becasue he fired a shot and not just argued.

Beachwalk

January 17, 2009 - 6:19 pm EST

The big difference Tre4 is that CSI does not promote or glorify killing and shooting. Unfortunately much of rap and hip hop music (not all) does promot and glorify Killing and shooting.

Ryan Seals

January 19, 2009 - 1:52 pm EST

Regarding the movie being mentioned in the story and why that was significant.

- The movie opened the same night the shooting happened.
- The star of the movie was a the theater when it happened.
- The opening of the movie drew a larger crowd to the theater than normal, with many people showing up to see that movie.
- The shooting happened in a section of the city where there is a high crime rate.
- The movie focuses on a the life and death story of a rap star who was killed in a drive-by shooting.
- The police specifically addressed the movie when discussing the crime.
- The theater suspended the movie as a direct result of the shooting as a precaution.

We can not say beyond a reasonable doubt the shooting was directly related to the movie.

But we can state the above facts and let the readers make their own decisions about its significance.

Mentioning the movie's title was not a scare tactic by any means.

Thanks for reading us.

ncb

January 17, 2009 - 10:37 am EST

Juss trying to keep it real in da NC, yo'

holland4

January 17, 2009 - 11:08 am EST

Please don't suspend "Notorious" at Four Seasons. I was going to see a non-gansta movie tonight with my family at the The Grand at Friendly. The other theaters will now get a lot of backwash from Four Seasons. I don't really want to have to buy my kids some Kevlar body armor in order to see "Hotel for Dogs".

Beachwalk

January 17, 2009 - 5:33 pm EST

James Hinson investigating a possible gangster/thug shooting is like asking Hillary Clinton to investigate Bill Clinton's financial gifts from foreign countries.

Tre4

January 17, 2009 - 5:51 pm EST

It is really a shame. For one if the man shot was 29 then he was around the era of confusion with BIG and PAC. Therefor "BEEF" a song by BIG is something for the street!! You know I often drop my sn and his friends at the movies because I had felt it was a safe enviroment for the kids. This is one film I had wanted to see with my son myself. Because at the time I was carring him I loved to listen to BIG and PAC!! I need all men to understand why bring guns to a fist fight and if they person shoot (GLADE HE"S OKAY) is 29 then an little altercationshould have been avoided. Like someone came to the movie to shoot him. I know the movie had nothing to do withthe shooting it is the people themselves. WHY??? Someone who didn't have nothing to do withtheir beef could have been hurt. One thing you should gather from the MOVIE is REAL MEN DO REAL THINGS

ravencottage

January 17, 2009 - 6:58 pm EST

Would someone explain to me what is so wrong about O voters celebrating a few days early?

tooltime123

January 17, 2009 - 7:45 pm EST

This type of activity only confirms why my employer moved our entire office from the Four Seasons Town Center Mall area and why I won't bring my family to Greensboro for shopping, dining, etc. Kernersville and Winston are not too far away. The economic toll this is having on Greensboro is incalculable. By the way, I work for a Fortune 500 company who felt our safety was in jeopardy every day we went to work.

nclawkid

January 17, 2009 - 10:06 pm EST

Was saying that you work for a Fortune 500 company supposed to impress us or give your argument credibility? McDonald's, Bank of America, BB&T, and CVS are all Fortune 500 companies who maintain operations in and around Four Seasons. And as Wachovia has so recently proven, being a Fortune 500 company doesn't necessarily mean a business is run smartly.

I will be the first to concede that Four Seasons has been on a slow downward spiral ever since Koury Corp. sold off Four Seasons Town Center. But to take one incident and use it to make a generalized statement about Greensboro's public safety is ignorant to say the least.

Greensboro is a safe community in which to live, work, and play. I think you unfairly cast blame on the city which should have been directed at the awful person who chose to commit this crime.

oh good grief

January 17, 2009 - 11:07 pm EST

nclawkid said: "I will be the first to concede that Four Seasons has been on a slow downward spiral ever since Koury Corp. sold off Four Seasons Town Center."

Unfortunately, Four Seasons has been in a downward spiral since the early 1990's, which predates Koury's sell-off by a decade.

The West Lee Street / High Point Road area has been a "rough" area for a very long time. Back in the 1950's it was merely "cheesy" -- it started notching up to undesirable and dangerous as early as the 1960's, and no amount of "touting" the area (e.g., the coliseum area) by the City Government could/will change that perception with residents of this city. Now perhaps once-a-year (or less frequent) visitors to the area are impressed (would be afraid to think what type of areas they travel from), but longtime property taxpayers are not impressed in the least with the area.

What brought the change from "cheesy" to "dangerous"? Perhaps the mobility (either through transportation or housing availability) of people who think they have nothing to lose by breaking the law and/or simply being obnoxious in public. The proximity of the Interstate may bring out-of-towners to the area of W. Lee Street/ High Point Road, but it also provides an easy, ready getaway route for lawbreakers and wrongdoers.

It's a shame, and I am so sorry to see it and say it, but Greensboro has seen the last of its "better days."

cut the crap

January 17, 2009 - 10:55 pm EST

What do working a "FORTUNE 500 COMPANY" has to do with your safety? so your saying people who don't work for a "FORTUNE 500 COMPANY" their employee don't care about there safety? SweetHeart let me in lighten you
every day you open your eyes or walk out your house your safety is in jeporady it don't matter were you work or live your never safe we would like to think so but we can't control what life has in store for us. And last your "FORTUNE 500 COMPANY" didn't tell you those were the companies that was crashing which I hope your's don't but don't be nieve cut the T.V on!

caparies4ever

January 17, 2009 - 11:04 pm EST

W-S and Kernersville both have more their share of violence. I known people that live in both towns that are active members of BLOODS, you know the CA based gang that loves the color Red. Doing your shopping, dining, etc. in W-S and K-ville won't stop you from being exposed directly or indirectly to gangs violence and other types of violence. (serial killer, rapist, thieves, Internet predators, and drunk drivers) Hanes Mall has plenty of gang graffiti to prove their present existence, so you no safer there than in Greensboro.

justaguy

January 19, 2009 - 10:21 am EST

Seems that every time you get a bunch of blacks together someone has always got to be center or attention. Always something going wrong that could have been avoided. Why does this happen? Are you not embarrassed? I'm thinking hard as to why this has to happen....Why does one carry a gun to a movie anyway? Now everyone is complaining as asking "why did they take our movie off the showing" "Our" is the key word. You want to make a movie yours just because it is about the gangster, hip hop, hard life.. You have to give respect to get respect and I cant respect anyone who walks around with a attitude totting a gun, having to pull his pants up every few steps. Why do so many people want power, and attention? Why always wanting to bring attention to yourself? Is it really that hard to live a simple life and enjoy being with family and friends without causing some kind of trouble? Makes you feel good to have people scared to come around you and your friends. Guys these days aren't men. There complete punks that don't know how to fight with there hands. You wonder why there is racial profiling, well this is why...Every time there is a group of blacks someone is bought to get shot, stabbed or robbed. You are an embarrassment to the black race and human race. People like you dont need to be in this world....you needed a better up bringing....you have some control as to the role in live you choose. Be a man not a thug. There are kids and families that like to go out and enjoy themselves and dont wont to worry about being shot, or stabbed. Do you not have a heart? Do you not care about the children around you? Life is hard enough and stupid people like you make it even harder. God Bless you and maybe one day you will choose to be a real man and not a punk.

seabrum@flambeauxonline.com

January 19, 2009 - 4:19 pm EST

Speaking Out on This One. I did NOT attempt to go anywhere near the theaters this weekend because of this movie. I have been in the industry for 20 years from DJ, CLUB OWNER, PROMOTION and PRODUCTION, and it is unfortunate how I have seen these art forms shape part of individuals and what some think life is supposed to be like. Many argue that the music can't make you do things. Although, I agree, it does not force you to do things you don't want to do, the music does INFLUENCE many in some way or another esspecially those that are searching for identity, PROVING POINT.. When you are looking to be uplifted spiritually, most would turn to Gospel and Inspirational Music. For a calming envronment, usually Jazz music or something like the new "Cheese" or "Rain"music that is finally gaining popularity. Or when someone wants something signifying "LOVE" or "IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE" music, one usually would listen to some nice R&B or heartfilling Pop music. And some older generations would turn to BLUES or COUNTRY when they were feeling down, Why would anyone think that HIP HOP or GANSTA RAP would not have the same influence. Music changes moods and can inspire or encourage people to do things they really need to do or really shouldn't do. This movie is a BIG disappointment in that it cannot help to draw controversy simply because of the history of what happened to BIGGIE. I am an fan of BIGGIE and still keep him in all my mixes and will do a show from time to time featuring him. When I heard this movie was coming out on Friday, I thought the timing was inappropriate with what the country is trying to do at this time. With much respect, I think this movie could have waited until next Friday to allow for everyone, young and old to observe MLK weekend and continue to the historic inauguration of President Obama. I feel that this is a disgrace and everyone's focus should for be primarily on seizing the positive moment and we could have talked about BIGGIE's story after Barack Obama' s story. WRONG TIME.. WRONG FOCUS

eMail Updates

Learn More
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

Featured Ads

Search

Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Advertisement | Advertise with Us

News & Record Network Sites

Triad Weather

  • Current Condition: FAIR
  • Current Temperature: 43°
  • UV Idx: 0
  • Forecast High/Low: H: 62° L: 43°

User Tools

  • Social Networking
  • RSS
  • Share
  • Sign in to MyNR

Search