The Fresno Police Department is urging residents to keep doing what the normally do, and don't become paranoid about the tragedy in Colorado. Meanwhile, business at Edwards Cinema in Fresno does not appear to be impacted, although some movie-goers say they're thinking more about their safety.
It looks like any other Friday at Edwards, but hours after a horrific mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, theatre, local theatre patrons are considering their safety more than ever before.
"It somewhat does taint my view because it just shows that we're not safe anywhere," said Jackie Rodriguez, who came to see the new Batman movie.
Mike Spicer is a security expert. He helps businesses develop action plans for incidents just like the one in Aurora.
"It's like getting struck by lightning, one in a million chance. But when it does happen, it's a mess," said Spicer, a former California Highway Patrol officer and current EnMagne Security Chief.
Spicer says people should always be aware of their surroundings and know where the exits are in every building they go into.
He says there are four things to think about when disaster strikes:
1. Get out
2. Hide out
3. Call out
4. Take out the shooter
Regal Entertainment, the company that owns Edwards and a number of other Valley theaters, has not given a formal statement, but CBS47 has been told that Edwards does not allow movie-goers to wear masks. The shooting did not happen at a Regal-owner theatre.
Meanwhile, Fresno and Clovis police say they are not ramping up patrols because the mass shooting in Aurora appears to be an isolated incident.
"We do want people to continue to live their lives, do what they do just as they normally have, with the thought in mind that you always have to be aware of your surroundings, but you can not become paranoid at the same time," said Captain Al Maroney of the Fresno Police Department.
River Park has private security both inside and outside Edwards Cinema.
