Panic Ensues as Fight Erupts at Pennsylvania Screening of The Dark Knight Rises
A fight that broke out during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises in West Homestead, Pennsylvania, resulted in several moviegoers nearly getting trampled underfoot after falling in the aisles while rushing to exit the theater.
The incident took place yesterday evening at the AMC Loews Waterfront 22.
"There were two people who got into an argument, and one person yelled something that induced people to get into a panic," witness Colin Marks told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
He said he stopped on his way to the emergency exit to stop frenzied theater patrons from stomping on people who had fallen to the ground. "There were some people that were very scared though," Marks said.
According to Homestead police Chief Jeffrey DeSimone, the crowd was on heightened alert due to the mass shooting in Aurora, resulting in more than a few frayed nerves.
No one was arrested, and attendees were given free passes for a later showing.
The lobby of the same West Homestead movie theater was also the site of a shooting in November 2005 that resulted in the death of one man.