Eight brawl at movie theater

Eight men charged past the ushers collecting tickets and started a fight shortly before the the 10:15 p.m. Friday screening of Demolition Man at the AMC Walnut Mall movie theater on Walnut Street. "They pushed their way past the usher at the ticket drop," said David Shoemaker, assistant manager of the theater at 3925 Walnut Street. "In the process of pushing past them, they started a fight." He said one of the men broke a "butler" dust pan, and used the pole to hit the general manager, Shoemaker said. The ensuing brawl worked its way into the crowded theater and Shoemaker said he called University Police. University Police officers said one of the eight had a gun and four men were ultimately arrested. Police let them go when no one would press charges. "I was sitting with a friend, and we heard all these noises," said College senior David Peikin. "And there were these eight guys going at it at the back of the theater." "A lot of people were crouching below their seats because they were scared of getting shot." Shoemaker said his priority was to get the four men, who were making the most trouble, out of the theater. It was filled to capacity, and many of the patrons were students. When Shoemaker pushed the troublemakers out the door, one pulled a 9-mm pistol, and hit Shoemaker on the head with it. "I pulled them into the lobby," he said. "I didn't personally feel threatened until I was hit in the head." The theater has arranged for more security to make sure that similar incidents don't occur in the future, Shoemaker said. But some students already have a negative perception of the theater. "It was a big turn-off to ever go to that theater again," said first-year College of General Studies student Mitch Rubin, who was at the movies Friday night. "The one thing I found disconcerting was that there was no one there to do anything."