Area Theaters Beef Up Security After Colo. Massacre
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Many South Florida movie theaters are on high alert following the mass shooting early Friday morning in Aurora, Colorado.
Despite the tragedy more that 2,000 miles away, local movie goers came out in large numbers to see th latest Batman movie, "The Dark Night Rises".
"I got a call from my parents who told me to be careful, but I didn't think it was too big of a deal," said Joseph Zabertnik.
"I was okay," ssaid Ana Perez. "The chances of it happening twice are pretty slim, I'm really sad it had to happen at all and my heart goes out to the people of Colorado, but you can't live in fear either."
But Marlene Janetous with the AutoNAtion IMAX Theater in Ft. Lauderdale says they'd rather be safe than sorry.
"We've doubled our regular security that we normally have," said Janetous.
They've also hired off duty police offers. Although they don't expect a copycat shooting at their facility, they'e prepared for one should it happen.
"We have surveillance cameras all around the museum, and we do have somebody monitoring them," said Janetous.
They also have someone monitoring the inside of the theater from the projection room, and they have temporarily put a security check at the front door.
"Oh, my God. I've never in my 30 years on this earth walked into a movie theater and had a search anything that was on me," said Perez. "It was really bizarre."
The theater has also banned costumes and masks inside the theater.
"I'm not one to dress up, maybe a ts-hirt, but its nice to see others dressing up," Perez said. "It's part of the fun of watching it on the first day, but its okay."
Before an afternoon showing of the "Dark Knight Rises", the theater had a moment of silence in honor for the 12 victims killed and more than 70 victims injured in the movie massacre.
