Man accused of pulling out ‘ghost gun,’ threatening to open fire at Crocker Park movie theater
WESTLAKE, Ohio (WJW) – It was frightening moment for moviegoers inside the Regal Cinema complex at Crocker Park in Westlake early Thursday morning, after a man pulled out a gun and threatened to open fire.
Fortunately, Westlake police were able to quickly track down the suspect who, according to investigators, began arguing with other patrons during the latest “Godzilla” film.
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“People just not getting along, not acting like adults. There was even reports that somebody was throwing food at another person,” said Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel.
After the movie ended, witnesses reported that 19-year-old Steven Ray Billing, of Elyria, continued to exchange angry words with other moviegoers and pulled out his gun.
“Pointing a gun at people, threatening people, making a big scene, scaring everybody so people are running out of the theater calling the police,” said Captain Vogel.
One of the witnesses told a 911 dispatcher, “I’m at Regal Cinema at Crocker Park. A kid just pulled a gun on me and my girlfriend in the movie theaters.”
Police began searching the neighboring Promenade shopping center for the gunman after speaking with witnesses outside the theater.
“That includes the victim who had the gun pointed at him and was threatened,” said Captain Vogel.
Investigators say Billing and his girlfriend tried to flee the scene, but when they got to their car in the Promenade parking lot, they realized that their friends, who had the keys, were still inside the movie theater.
“So he kind of panicked, ran over to a garbage can nearby, dumped the gun that the police were now there to investigate and then tried to change his clothes a little bit, giving a jacket and maybe more identifying clothing to his girlfriend who was there,” said Captain Vogel.
But the officers didn’t buy the change in clothing and after arresting Billing, one of them found his discarded gun in the garbage can.
Investigators say it is a so-called “ghost gun” that has no serial numbers on it.
“Oftentimes, criminals have ghost guns to try to avoid detection and tracing,” Captain Vogel said.
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Police say they are alarmed that Billing brought a gun to the theater, which Vogel says is not permitted on the private property at Crocker Park.
He adds that all involved are fortunate that angry words in the theater did not lead to gunfire or bloodshed.
“If it’s escalating, you can obviously call the police but usually management can get there and mediate a situation, or change somebody’s theater or something like that. There’s no reason to take things into your own hands,” said Captain Vogel.
Billing is now facing charges that include aggravated menacing, carrying a concealed weapon and tampering with evidence.
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