Interesting self defense case.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/popcorn-fear-death-theater-killing-173802514.html

From the information in the article I don't really see this as a justified shooting. I don't think throwing popcorn and lunging at him is quite enough. Granted he is pretty old but I don't know how he could ever articulate he feared death or serious injury.

From the information in the article I don't really see this as a justified shooting. I don't think throwing popcorn and lunging at him is quite enough. Granted he is pretty old but I don't know how he could ever articulate he feared death or serious injury.

When you're 71, you're too young to want to die and too old to take an ass whooping.

Not a lot of options available when someone who's almost half your age (43) is yelling and reaching for you in a movie theater.

The standard is not whether the threat is real or able to inflict severe bodily injury or death.  The standard is whether or not YOU believed it to be true.  I'm not even sure the "reasonable man" theory applies, since the man is a trained law enforcement officer.  His assessment of what is and isn't a threat within a split second is probably more trustworthy than the average person, which came out as a defense argument.

Escobar said the evidence proves their contention that during the disputed seconds, Oulson, before being shot,
threw his cellphone at Reeves, striking him in the face, and then appeared ready to climb over the seats and attack,
reaching toward him.

The threat had already progressed from verbal to physical assault with throwing his phone and striking the 71 year old in the face with it.  Any debate about whether the dead guy was a real threat or not is moot.  One could argue excessive force, but that's also something the victim must evaluate in his own mind.  If he perceived a real threat after being assaulted and battered, then his actions were justified -- not to be confused with having his popcorn salted and buttered.