Handgun in Movie Theater CT

[Melissa W.]

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A 46-year-old man with a loaded handgun was arrested Tuesday night at a Connecticut movie theater showing "The Dark Knight Rises."

Sung H. Hwang was charged with breach of peace and interfering with police after officers said they found a handgun in his waistband. He had a permit to carry the weapon, police said.

Officers arrived at the Criterion-Bow Tie Cinemas shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday after managers reported a man inside with a gun. It wasn't clear whether the call was about Hwang or someone else.

About a dozen people were inside waiting for the movie to begin, police said. Officers asked each of them to raise their hands and file out, where they were patted down, according to a news release.

Hwang remained in his seat using his cellphone, police said. Police said he refused to put his hands up and was taken into custody by force. The gun was found in his waistband near the small of his back, police said.

Hwang released from custody Tuesday night on a promise to appear in court on the misdemeanor charges, said police spokesman David Hartman. City officials planned a news conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall where they planned to issue a statement about guns in public places.

A man who answered the phone at a listing for Sung H. Hwang in Branford referred the call to the law offices of that man. A man who answered that phone declined to comment.

Hwang's name did not appear in a docket search of the Superior Court's website Wednesday, and it was not immediately clear when he would appear in court.

Last month during a screening of the same film in Aurora, Colo., a man opened fire, killing 12 moviegoers and wounding 58.

Several instances of people bringing weapons to showings of the film have been reported across the country since then. Over the weekend, a man in northeast Ohio man brought a gun, ammunition and several knives to a screening because he wanted to protect himself in case someone tried to replicate the shooting, his attorney said Tuesday. He was arrested.