Local moviegoers react to Colo. shooting spree

REVERE – Local moviegoers who went to see ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ on Friday said although the shooting rampage in Aurora, Colo. early Friday wouldn’t stop them from seeing the film, they admitted it was on their minds.The shooting spree that claimed 12 lives and wounded 59 others was something East Boston resident Larry Wolters was thinking about when he took his family to see the movie at Showcase Cinemas de Lux in Revere.”We talked about it in the car on the way here,” he said. “I said, ‘Everyone, if there’s a nutty person, get down.’ We weren’t scared to go to the movies, but we thought we should be prepared.”Other members of the Wolters clan didn’t seem too bothered.Watch the latest news about the shooting.”It’s an unfortunate thing that happened, but as far as being here, I’m not too worried about it,” said Alex Wolters.Many seemed to agree that since it didn’t hit close to home, they were less phased by it. Everett resident Jovanica Jocelyn said she felt “desensitized” because of the distance, but added, “It’s tragic what happened.”Darryl Dardy, a Cambridge resident, was on his way to see the movie when he spoke to The Item on Friday.”I’m not scared because we have more sense than that in Boston. We like people,” he said, adding that when he heard the news he “found it kind of bizarre – that’s odd behavior.”When asked if he thought the Dark Knight movie series is cursed, given that the late actor Heath Ledger died shortly after finishing his critically acclaimed role as The Joker in The Dark Knight, Dardy said, “It’s no curse – it’s just people not taking their meds.”Both Jocelyn and Larry Wolters said that the shooting brought back memories of the 1999 school shooting at Columbine High School, located less than 20 miles away from the movie theater in Aurora. Twelve people were killed in both shootings.”It seems like something that would happen on the West Coast, but not here,” said Alex Wolters.Nathan Wolters disagreed. “It’s just as likely to happen anywhere.”AMC theaters released a statement Friday that said it would be stepping up its security in light of the shooting, even going as far as to not allow “any guests into our theatres in costumes that make other guests feel uncomfortable, and we will not permit face-covering masks or fake weapons inside our buildings.”Kait Taylor may be reached at kt*****@******ve.com.