County Police Will Not Assign Officers To Theaters

UPDATE (3:16 p.m.)—The Baltimore County Police Department will not assign police to movie theaters this weekend in the wake of the shooting at the opening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, CO.

Elise Armacost, in an email statement, said the department "is monitoring the developing case in Colorado and will continue to assess the likelihood of problems here in Baltimore County.

"We are not assigning officers to movie theaters, but we will increase patrols around malls and movie theaters to alleviate community fears and address any potential threats that may occur," Armacost wrote in the statement. "In addition, theaters often employ off duty police officers, so law enforcement may already be present."

In other jurisdictions such as and , police are being assigned to theaters in the aftermath of the shooting.

Armacost called the Colorado shooting a "random horrible crime." Local police in Aurora have been clear that "this is not a terrorist attack or that anyone else is involved," she said.

Armacost said county police "have no information to indicate that theater-goers in Baltimore County are at any risk."

Law enforcement is regularly present around AMC Loews White Marsh 16, according to Capt. Michael Balog of the White Marsh precinct.

In addition to on-duty patrol officers who cover area streets The Avenue at White Marsh shopping center and movie theater employ uniformed police officers who provide additional part-time security, Balog said.

Emily Kimball, local editor for Perry Hall Patch, contributed to this story.