Family Of Murdered Singer Files Lawsuit Against “Gun Free” Venue Where She Was Shot. We hope the family wins. Perhaps it will put a crimp in this gun free zone BS which is like saying to killers that no one will shoot back.
The theater where Grimmie was performing was a gun-free theater. Now, the Grimmie family has filed a lawsuit against the theater, claiming negligent security on the part of the venue. The premise of the lawsuit is if a property owner bans law abiding citizens with guns, then the property owner should be responsible if a tragedy like this one occurs.
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I go to more then a few concert a year, so the fact that I knew nothing about Christina Grimmie before she was murdered does not matter. I am old enough to remember when Darrell Abbott, known to metal fans as "Dimebag" or "Dime", was shot dead on stage in Columbus, OH. He used to be part of Pantera, which was 1 of the biggest metal acts in the 90's, they fell out with their singer/frontman, got rid of him, & then reformed with a new singer & a new name, Damageplan. An obsessed fan, ex military, who had other issues as well, shot Abbott to death during their opening song at the Columbus gig. Police eventually arrived & shot the shooter dead in the venue. You can look this up on YouTube.
Now Grimmie's death was actually creepier in the sense that she had performed her set, & was meeting fans after the gig. The very personal aspect of that makes this worse in a way, & having met more then my share of musicians before or after gigs, the whole vibe is pretty relaxed. The musician/band doesn't have to meet their fans, but they do it, because they want to thank the people that make what they do possible. Female musicians, usually they front the bands, need more protection in my opinion. Rock & metal still has a majority male fanbase, 70/30 would be my guess, & you can never really account for the 1 or 2 nutcases that may want to attempt something. It is sad that some are restricting fan access, some are opting for setting up VIP meet n' greet packages, not always at a ridiculous price to help prevent stuff like this, & it helps the band make a few bucks in a rough music market. I have done that before, & I will be doing that in a couple of months when I see Delain w/ Hammerfall.
Now, I will say I go to lots a gigs, & I take safety seriously. I have a few things I do...
1. Know your surroundings. When I go at a gig at a major arena, I don't worry too much, security & safety procedures are standard, more or less.
2. If I am going to an older theatre venue, or a repurposed building that now serves as a venue, ask event staff where the exits are. They are different everywhere I go.
3. I talked about event staff, talk to security & get to know them a bit. As somebody who doesn't cause trouble at gig, they can only be helpful. Since I am usually on the barrier, they can see that I am not a troublemaker. I need them, & I help them if there is an issue. It's a win-win. Most fans at gigs are OK, but there can be problems, sometimes it's a-hole, but usually alcohol related.
4. I try to always be at the edge of the crowd, now I am usually on the barrier, if I am not I make damned sure I am never going to stuck in a stampede if things go wrong. Thankfully that hasn't happened at any gig I have done.
...sorry about being long here, but the Grimmie murder while meeting fans, "Dime's" murder while onstage, or the fire at The Station at as Great White concert ( that is on YouTube) in 2003 that killed 100, or even what happened at the Bataclan in Paris in 2015 when terrorists killed 90 & 200 injured at an Eagles of Death Metal concert, knowing your surroundings can save your life. Nobody should die trying to have a night out enjoying a concert.
Bottom line, I support this lawsuit, because the safety & security of the performers & the fans is what matters here.
Danybhoy, you are advocating people take some responsibility for their own personal safety. How sexist of you! (SARC)
When I was still in the Navy, I would try and drill the same ideas into my Sailors that my mother instilled in me: be aware of your surroundings, dont put yourself in dubious situations (i.e. Drink yourself incapacitated at a party), never leave your drink unattended, etc etc. it scares me how little these "kids" think about that crap.
Hey, concerts are fun, you can often meet the bands after the gigs, most fans are cool, but there are a handful that should be institutionalized. That or they get too much to drink. Be aware of that, & go have a nice night out at a show. Also, wear some ear protection, you don't want have hearing problems later. A nice pair from your local gun shop will do.
I think Tennessee passed a law to that effect. The Aurora families failed in their lawsuit against the theater chain and now owe the theater chain.