JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Sean Dale is looking forward to watching the new Batman movie, but in the back of his mind is the real life horror story that took place in Aurora, Col. Now the massacre is sparking a new debate over conceal and carry gun permits.
"As long as they have the right pass, then honestly I don't see a problem with anyone carrying as long as they have the right to," said Dale.
Kathleen Halperin and her husband go out of their way to go to the Regal movie theater on Beach Blvd. Regal has a strict no weapons policy for all of their theaters across the country.
"Even if they are legally owned, it's an entertainment complex with families and children," said Halperin.
"If you have an accredited concealed weapons license in the state of Florida - unless there is a stated reason why you cannot - as far as the law is concerned, you should be allowed to carry it into the theater if that's acceptable," said former FBI special agent and NRA instructor, Ron Wirth.
Wirth thinks Florida's concealed weapons qualifications are strong. In a life-threatening situation like the Batman movie massacre, Wirth thinks a gun in the hand of a trained citizen could keep the bad guys at bay.
"The display of the weapon may be enough to have someone who was going to hurt somebody, stop hurting them or stop them from doing their crime at all," said Wirth.
But it's not much of a reassurance for Halperin. "I feel much safer if everyone is not armed. It's really important. I don't see how more guns make the world safer," said Halperin.
The Cinemark chain, which owns Century 16 in Aurora, also enforces a gun-free zone policy.
