Glad you’re OK, AngelSoft.
To everyone saying I should have called the cops, I completely get where you’re coming from. It just…I still think I made the right call. This guy was clearly severely disabled. From what I observed, he couldn’t even talk. The woman’s age and the way she acted made me believe she wasn’t a professional caretaker. She was either the guy’s sister, or perhaps the girlfriend of the other guy? I don’t know. But hopefully it shocked them enough (and she was horrified) that they’ll take steps towards changing whatever treatment he’s getting.
And, for the record, I did enjoy the movie! Very good!
What makes anyone think that the theater manager didn’t call the police, after AngelSoft went into her theater?
No one speculated either way on that.
Cons
*Even more agitated mentally ill guy (safely restrained in handcuffs)
*Even more upset carer (upset because she couldn’t provide sufficient care for her charge?)
*Time wasted on statements (not really a waste, because documentation of violent behaviour is important, as explained upthread)
Pros
*Documents violent behaviour (maybe this HAS happened before?)
*Justice system may impose enhanced requirements for care (additional helpers)
*Care providers may re-evaluate their care procedures to prevent this in the future (protecting the public AND the patient)
*Disabled guy learns a lesson (depending on the level of disability)
*Assault is documented in case AngelSoft’s condition deteriorates in the next little while in relation to the incident
I’m not saying “lock them all up”, but make sure you can provide the required care, which includes protecting them from themselves. Imagine AngelSoft was an 8 year old - do you think his father would’ve stopped after just the choke slam?
It sounds as though your attacker would be considered a vulnerable adult. I don’t know how it would work if he was harmed in any way while people were attempting to restrain him. I do know that in my state his caregivers have to be especially trained and if they cause any damage to him they can receive serious penalties and loss of their job.
I’ve seen this sort of situation more times than I can tell you but generally it has been within institutions. Several times I have seen it happen in public.
Last summer some young, apparently inexperienced, caregiver had a man at a place where I swim and he was intoxicated and definitely out of control. There was no one to assist her there. It was definitely a frightening experience for all.
Since the 1960s people with serious disabilities have been increasingly moved out of institutions and into group homes. While they have someone in charge with education and ultimate decision-making power there, or available by phone, often the actual work is done by college students working on degrees in the people-helping professions. Sounds like somebody made a mistake.
Locally we had an attempted murder in the last year. The man had murdered his sister and attempted to murder his mother years ago. He had spent a long time in a locked facility and was finally judged well enough to go out on a day pass. With his mother. Yes. I won’t go into further detail other than to say that the people making the judgment call were experienced psychiatrists.
People are unpredictable. And disturbed people are even more so. My state seems to believe that taking the risk of allowing them access to as normal a life as possible is worth the risk.
And you didn’t know the nature of his disability which makes it even more difficult to know how to handle the situation. Could he see well? Could he hear? Was he mentally ill or DD?
The mentally ill and mentally disabled are usually the low end of the totem pole when it comes to funding and I would suppose that states all over are short-staffed when it comes to their care.
I’m glad you are alright.
Another voice in favor of calling the police. Not necessarily for pressing charges, but to have official documentation of the event.
What if the next time the victim of his random attack is a 10 year old child? Someone’s elderly grandmother out to see a movie or shopping with their grandkids?
Fortunately no one was seriously injured this time.
Have there been previous outbursts? People lament that the mentally challenged don’t get the treatment that they need, but when no one reports behavior that requires attention, what do you expect to happen?
Someone get’s seriously injured or killed and all we hear about is how the system failed. I’ve got news for everyone that thinks involving the police would be a waste of time.
YOU ARE A KEY PIECE OF THE SYSTEM! All of us are.
Glad to hear that you’re okay Angelsoft
Um, what blustering? I’m saying file a report and press charges. Maybe you’re right, and there’s never been another incident - in which case, I sincerely doubt they’ll lock the guy away forever.
If it turns out this has happened before, obviously it’s a repeating issue and something ought to be done. Because when one side of the equation is random theater-goers getting beat-downs, and the other side is this guy and his care-givers waiting for the dvd… yeah, I’m for him staying home.
And there is the matter of the guy’s own safety. It’s a funny old world, and some people get upset when they’re attacked - they’ve been known to engage in fisticuffs, brandish weaponry and other brutish behaviors.
Don’t be surprised if a video of your attack shows up on youtube or liveleak. I bet the theater security people went back to look at the tape, and if it was a good enough angle/quality and someone with access is so inclined, it might make it’s way to the internet.
ETA: Hell, maybe you should have requested a copy. If it was good enough, you could publish it yourself! 
I’d let the incident slide. Free tickets and replacement popcorn/drinks. No real damage other then getting shook up.
Seems like the lady with the disturbed guy learned a lesson. If not then I can see the theater manager calling the cops the next time.
YMMV I just wouldn’t want the to be the one that got the disturbed guy in trouble. Even dogs get one free bite before they are put down.
That’s just me and a desire to avoid conflict as much as possible. Especially with the mentally disabled. I can certainly understand someone else immediately calling the cops.
I wouldn’t get close if I saw him at the theater again. One bite is all he gets. 
Is your kid, or the neighbor’s kid, or your cousin uncontrollably violent? No? Because that hasn’t happened yet? If he was a known danger to random people, do you think he would have been put in this situation?
If the guy can’t control such violent outbursts, then he needs to be kept away from the public or anyone else he might harm. It’s the responsibility of those that brought him there to either not do so, or only take him to places where it is highly unlikely for such a reaction to happen.
What happens if the cops are called? Even after the situation had been diffused, we need to take cops off the street to take a report of a mentally challenged guy that lost it? What does that help? In some states that guy could be arrested on the spot. Would giving this guy a criminal record help anyone or anything? Maybe the next time it could be your kid? Maybe there is no next time because this guy isn’t a hard core thug.
A call to the cops puts a mark on the guy’s record, and probably creates a record for him. If he shouldn’t be allowed in public, whose fault is it that he was there? They don’t get a charge, but he does.
If his mental faculties are impaired, the threat of punishment may have no effect on him at all. Get him tossed in jail for this slap attack, then he does nothing for 10 years. Suddenly he loses it and kills a four year old girl. Either way he ends up in a mental care facility, and only when something really bad happens.
I’ve tried on several occasions to have the cops “just document what happened” in case that data ever becomes useful in the future. They won’t send a car for that (which is understandable) and they likely won’t just document what happened.
If an able bodied punk punches me at a theater, you’re damn right I’m calling the cops because he knew what he was doing, and will likely do it again. If someone of diminished capacity were to hit me, I wouldn’t like it, and barring physical injury, I would let it go because the people that brought them there (hopefully) learned a lesson about public outings for that person.
I’m glad you’re not seriously hurt and I think you reacted correctly.
I’m also glad you liked Iron Man 3. I think that was a good movie.
I’m a little sad you didn’t get twizzlers. twizzlers are awesome. Get twizzlers next time.
OK we get it, “shoulda’ called the police” That’s helpful. :rolleyes:
Anyway, Glad you’re okay Angelsoft. You handled the situation perfectly well.
And kudos to you for going in to see the movie. I think I would have been to upset to enjoy myself after that.
The “rolleyes” says something, but doesn’t say what you’re trying to. You’re enough of a veteran here that your opinion matters, and can at least be asked for. Not that it has to be answered.
That’s partly why I don’t think I’d call the police. The idea of documentation is a good one, but the police aren’t there for social issues, and if you call them for an assault they will likely treat it as a crime. My hope would be that the woman would have done whatever is necessary in response to the attack and had someone reassess their recommendations for taking him to public places, medication etc.
Assuming he’s a reasonable person, yeah. I don’t know him.
That sounds really upsetting, and I am glad you are okay. FWIW, I would have done the same as you did.
This is what cellphones are for.
9-1-1.
I wonder if anybody thinks you should have called the police.
I’m sorry. As I said in a subsequent post, I do now see some merit in calling the police to start some type if documentation, even if it’s not something I would do. It’s just that something about your post (that you would ensure that the guy’s staff people would not take him out again) sounded over-the-top to me. That’s how it read to me. Perhaps that is not how you meant it.
One reported bite.