Two topics that I can never discuss enough are the reduction of violence and the use of access control and identification as a major component utilized to reduce violence. A few months ago there was another devastating shooting in the U.S.: the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting that killed 12 people and injured more than 50. This very unfortunate incident may not have been prevented, but some security experts feel that major changes are in store for movie theaters in the immediate future. Moviegoers may have to walk through metal detectors and endure armed security personnel screenings, and magnetically locked doors and advanced video surveillance systems will hopefully attempt to identify or deter another would-be assassin. Other experts have stated quite emphatically that there will be no changes to the movie theater industry, stating that Aurora was an isolated incident that will not be repeated. What is clear, though, is that society is changing, violence is on the rise and that change needs to occur in all walks of life in order to reduce violence.
The sobering reality is that in the majority of active shooter cases, like this one, the shooter entered the theater the night of the shooting legitimately, showing up in costume and buying a ticket. He was not an outsider, someone who stood out or could be recognized as a potential threat.