The NYPD sent cops to all 40 New York movie houses showing “The Dark Knight Rises” yesterday to prevent any sick copycats from re-enacting the Colorado massacre.
“We are doing that to address the potential of a copycat event and to reassure moviegoers, particularly parents — a lot of young people are going to see this movie,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
He said the deployment was “appropriate considering the terrible events that happened in Aurora … We’re just concerned that someone seeking notoriety will tend to do something similar.”
“We’re going to have additional police presence there [at movies]. We urge people to go about their business,” Kelly said. “We don’t believe it requires a change in activity or plans.”
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Not every theater will be covered by cops at all times, Kelly said. But those with coverage will have at least two officers.
He wasn’t sure how long theaters will get extra police attention.
Two police cars and four officers on foot were stationed outside the giant AMC Empire 25 Theater on West 42nd Street in Times Square yesterday — and jittery moviegoers were glad to see them.
“It’s a movie theater — you’re sitting ducks,” said Peter Rothbard, 26, an actor from Crown Heights, Brooklyn. “It’s a movie about terrorism and people who want to destroy the government and society. Who knows if the gunman was actually inspired by the movie itself?”
“I’ll be sitting by the exit,” said Robert Hughes, a 35-year-old finance manager from The Bronx.
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“It makes me nervous because now you can’t go to the movies without worrying someone’s going to shoot you,” Hughes said. “Next thing you know, you won’t be able to go to the supermarket.”
Suleman Khan, a 19-year-old student from Connecticut, saw “The Dark Knight Rises” with some pals.
“My friends were scared — two didn’t want to come,” he said. “I was hoping there would be more cops inside.”
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Some people decided to skip the film altogether.
“I’m scared to go to the movies today and it’s all because of what happened in Colorado,” said Trudi Bartow, 30, a Financial District resident.
No cops were visible yesterday afternoon at the Lincoln Square theater on the Upper West Side.
“I think everyone took note of the closest exit when they sat down. I knew which one I was going for if anything happened,” said Leif Steinert, 26, a grad student from Washington Heights. “But I wasn’t going to miss this movie.”
Some moviegoers said they’d feel safer if theaters screened customers with metal detectors, but Kelly is cool to the idea. “I don’t think we’re there yet,” he said.