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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Fight erupts during Batman movie

Couple flees after usher attacked

By: Aldo Santin

Posted: 08/25/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

MOVIEGOERS taking in a late-night showing of The Dark Knight Rises fled the Silver City St. Vital theatre Thursday after a fight broke out between a large, unruly customer, a 19-year-old usher and a customer who tried to intervene.

"The guy jumps up and sucker-punches the usher -- it was unbelievable. I've never seen anything like that before in my life," an eyewitness said.

The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she and her husband went to the 10:15 p.m. showing. When the film began, a couple in the front row were texting and talking loudly.

Ushers repeatedly came into the theatre to try to convince the couple to turn off their phones to no avail, she said, adding even other moviegoers were yelling at them to stop.

With about 45 minutes left in the movie, the woman said, a lone usher appeared to give the couple an ultimatum and that's when the fight broke out.

"After he sucker-punched him, he started beating on the employee. The movie is still going, the lights are still down, and these people are fighting in the front row," she said. "It was very odd.

"Some people were yelling and throwing things to get the guy to stop.

"Finally, somebody jumped in and was trying to help the usher.

"People were leaving, and that's when we left. The theatre was almost empty by then."

The woman said her husband called 911 from their seats. The fight seemed to last about five minutes.

The woman said she was surprised the other theatre staff seemed unwilling or unable to help their co-worker.

When she got out into the corridor, she and others were yelling at the other staff and telling them about the fight inside.

"They just stood there blankly," she said. "The staff was very disorganized, didn't know what to do, didn't help their co-worker."

The attacker finally came out of the theatre at about the same time mall security showed up, she said, but he fled the scene. The attacker's date seemed to have disappeared with the crowd as the theatre emptied, the woman said.

"Some people ran after him, but I don't know how eager they were to go get him."

Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said the 19-year-old usher was punched several times but did not require medical treatment.

The 24-year-old customer who tried to help was taken to hospital for treatment, Michalyshen said, adding the injuries were not considered serious either.

A senior Cineplex official reached in Toronto said local staff is co-operating with police but refused any other comment.

Michalyshen said the suspects are identified as: a tall, Causasian man, in his 30s, about six feet tall and bald with a goatee; the woman is also Caucasian, about 5-6 or 5-7 with long, black hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 204-986-2857.

The witness said a Cineplex employee was offering passes to another show as compensation to those who asked. While she took two passes, the woman said it's unlikely she'll return.

The movie night was a rare evening out for the couple, she said, adding the passes wouldn't compensate them for the cost of a babysitter and the shock of the evening.

"I'd like to see the end of the movie, but I'm not comfortable going back there," she said. "I can wait six months and watch the movie at home with my own popcorn. I can't see me going back next week to finish it up."

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 25, 2012 A4

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