A trip to see the movie “Wicked” took a turn in Danvers, Massachusetts, where a man was arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot other moviegoers — though his own lawyer says he was just singing along to a rap song.
A 34-year-old man is facing multiple charges after police say he threatened moviegoers at an AMC theater at the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, Massachusetts, over the weekend.
Danvers police said they received a call shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday for a report of a male party who had made threats to two other patrons at the AMC Liberty Tree Mall 20 on Independence Way. Officers said they were able to make contact with the male party, who did not have a gun or any other weapons on him.
The man, identified by police as Ryan Muldoon, of Lynn, was subsequently arrested and arraigned Monday in Salem District Court on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, threats to commit a crime and disturbing the peace. He was ordered held pending another hearing Tuesday at 11 a.m.
The victims told police they sat down in front of Muldoon and he allegedly said, "I am going to shoot all of you in the head" during the previews before a showing of "Wicked." Muldoon told police that he was just singing rap lyrics.
In court Monday, Muldoon's lawyer said he had his headphones in and that, not only did he never threaten the other moviegoers with a gun, he didn't have one on him.
"One might be humming along to music, singing along to music, or singing the lyrics of a rap song along with listening to the music before the movie started," the lawyer said.
The judge ordered Muldoon held until a hearing Tuesday morning, saying he found probable cause by "about as thin" a margin "as it can get."
This weekend was a busy one at the movies, with both "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" premiering in theaters ahead of the holidays.
