Panama City, Fla. -
The effect of the shooting in Colorado is being felt across the country, and here in Panama City. When you step out to the theater this weekend you can expect more police and a change in one theater's policy.
"It's scary," said resident Elizabeth Rios. "It's something that I can do every Friday night...it could have been me."
For many Panama City residents, this morning's tragedy hits so close to home because it involves something we all do without thinking twice - attend a movie.
"That was the place we felt we should go for entertainment, and look what happened." said resident Marilyn Rios.
12 people were killed in that midnight screening of the Dark Knight rises in Aurora, Colorado, making residents here hesitant about their future movie-going plans.
"I'll be trying to be more very careful of what's around me, watch my surroundings better," said resident Robert Doyle.
"We have to be more suspicious when we go to places," said Marilyn Rios. "We can't trust anybody anymore."
Local law enforcement is also reacting to the tragedy.
"We're gonna have some extra patrols through the weekend, just as a response," said deputy chief Scott Ervin with the Panama City Police Department. "We don't anticipate any events occurring, but we're going to have some increased presence."
Ervin says even with those measures in place, if you already have your ticket punched for this weekend don't give it up.
"These instances, if you look at statistically how often they occur, the odds are not very likely," Ervin said.
The Carmike Theater, which is screening the Dark Knight, is instituting a 'no-mask' policy for movie watchers looking to dress up for the movie this weekend.
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