DADE CITY, Fla. — Years before Curtis Reeves shot and killed Chad Oulson inside a movie theater, Edward Thompson said he also had a confrontation with the retired police captain.
In 2014, Thompson told ABC Action News he and a woman were at a Zephyrhills movie theater talking quietly in the back row during the previews and Reeves was nearby.
“He was sitting in the seat and he turns like this and looks back towards us and he says why don’t you shut up,” Thompson told us.
Thompson said he politely asked Reeves to find another seat, but Reeves responded by saying, "This is my seat and I said shut-up.”
Thompson said he's watching the case closely, even though he's since moved to Iowa. He said neither the prosecution nor defense teams have contacted him about testifying.
“I wrote a letter to the state attorney about a month ago and told them if you want me, give me a 72-hour notice and I’ll be there. I haven’t heard nothing back,” Thompson said.
Also in 2014, ABC Action News interviewed Micheal And Jamira Dixon about an incident they said happened just two weeks before Reeves killed Oulson. The Dixon’s said at the same theater in Wesley Chapel, Reeves was also barking at them about texting during the previews.
“He said, 'Can you do me a favor? Can you please just stop texting,'” Jamira Dixon said.
Dixon said Reeves followed her out when she went to the bathroom.
“I was like, oh my god what is wrong with this guy,” Jamira said.
After Reeves was arrested, both Thompson and the Dixon’s said they instantly recognized him as the same man they had dealt with recently. All of them have spoken with authorities in the past, but it doesn’t appear any of them will be asked to testify in the trial.
