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Guns, "Thousands" of Bullets Removed From Regal Cinema Suspect's Home

Scott A. Smith in Westlake jail after being arrested at Regal Cinema at Crocker Park with a gun, ammunition, knives and "survival equipment."

A small arsenal of weapons were removed Monday night from the North Ridgeville home of  with a gun, ammunition and four knives at a showing of The Dark Knight Rises Saturday night at  in .

 Lt. Ray Arcuri said Tuesday afternoon that his department was still going through everything seized from Smith's home. Here are the highlights:

  • Several guns, including pistols, shotguns and rifles.
  • "Thousands" of bullets.
  • A gas mask.

Police also seized computers from Smith's home, and are awaiting a search warrant to look through them.

Prescription medications were also taken. Police are still verifying what they are, Arcuri said, but he believed one was a blood pressure medication. If there is a problem with prescription drug abuse, Arcuri said, it would mean that he would very likely face the having weapons under disability charges he was charged with after his arrest.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the case. Possible charges he could face include four counts of carrying various weapons, one count of carrying a concealed weapon and one count of having weapons under disability.

Smith remained in Westlake jail Tuesday afternoon, Arcuri said, but will probably be sent to the Cuyahoga County Jail in the next day or two.

Arcuri said Smith, 37, is married and has an infant daughter. Westlake police are still trying to nail down the details on Smith's personal, medical and work history. Smith told police he was unemployed, Arcuri said Smith's wife told police that he worked at some kind of a sleep therapy place.

Smith did not appear to have any criminal history in the area, Arcuri said.

The potential for a tragedy on par with the  was "definitely" there Saturday night, Arcuri said.

After he had gotten his Maxpedition waist pack past a Regal Cinema manager who didn't see a zippered compartment, Smith went into the theater where The Dark Knight Rises -- the same movie that was playing during the Aurora shootings -- had a 10 p.m. showing.

No one else was in the theater when Smith sat down in the middle of the back row, Arcuri said.

"Where he was sitting, he had the tactical advantage," Arcuri said. "He had targets to the left, to the right, and straight ahead."

While the manager had let Smith through, off-duty Westlake police officer Jeremiah Bullins grew suspicious of Smith and followed him into the theater. When he spotted Smith in the back row, Smith had removed the bag from his waist and placed it on the floor.

Bullins asked Smith if he could search the bag and Smith agreed. That's when Bullins opened the zippered compartment and found a loaded 9MM Glock semiautomatic handgun, two additional fully loaded magazines, and three knives. A fourth knife was found elsewhere on Smith.

Also in the bag, Arcuri said, were a flashlight, medicated bandages that help clot blood, and a capsule that is dropped in fresh water to make it safe to drink.

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D Scott Hinckley August 7, 2012 at 08:24 pm
Soon TSA Agents will be searching us at the local theater.
Sam Kandrin August 7, 2012 at 08:38 pm
Heads up police instinct by officer Bullins. He most likely prevented another horrible
mass murder. It also brings about the issue as to whether people with concealed carry licenses should be allowed to carry there. It certainly can be debated that if someone had a gun with them, that they could have provided some defense when the shooting started. Take the case of the Cracker Barrel shooting. The murderer used a single shot shotgun. After he fired the first shot, an armed and properly trained citizen could have saved to other two that were killed. the business' that restrict concealed carry holders have to realize that the criminals don't care about signs. They are leaving people defenseless and unprotected against the criminals.
Jean Williams August 8, 2012 at 02:09 am
A northeast Ohio man brought a gun, ammunition and several knives to a showing of the latest Batman movie because he wanted to protect himself in case someone tried to replicate last month's deadly Colorado theater shooting, his attorney said
yep nothing like a gun battle in a crowded movie theater ,can you say crossfire
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