Man fatally shot during seating dispute at New Mexico movie theater

A dispute over seating at a New Mexico movie theater showing Jennifer Lawrence’s latest flick, “No Hard Feelings,” culminated in deadly gunfire over the weekend, police said.

One person, identified as 52-year-old Michael Tenorio, was shot and killed on Sunday inside Albuquerque’s Century Rio Theater during an 8:50 showing of the Lawrence-led rom-com. Witnesses on the scene said the shooting unfolded shortly after the previews, sending audience members racing for the nearest emergency exit, KOAT reported.

According to a criminal complaint, Tenorio and his wife, Trina Tenorio, purchased a pair of tickets for seats 8 and 11 in Row F with the hopes that whoever had the spots in-between would allow them to sit together. When they arrived at the theater, an employee gave then the go ahead to claim a pair of side-by-side seats, and to explain the situation to their fellow movie-goers, according the Albuquerque News Journal.

A short time later they were confronted by 19-year-old Enrique Padilla and his girlfriend, who were frustrated to find the couple in their seats. Police said a movie theater staffer was initially able to de-escalate the situation and that both couples were ultimately seated next to each other inside theater 15. But as soon as the employee exited, the conflict resumed with Padilla throwing an entire tub of popcorn into Trina’s face, according to the complaint.

Tenorio responded by shoving Padilla into a wall, who in turn pulled out a gun and started shooting.

Padilla then fled the theater, but he was found a short time later suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen in some bushes nearby. Authorities did not say how or when he was shot.

A casing found in the bushes matched the one in the theater and a gun was also recovered at the scene, police said.

An off-duty police officer who was at the movie administered emergency aid to Tenorio, who was pronounced dead a short time later.

Padilla was charged on Monday with an open count of murder, shooting at a dwelling or occupied building and tampering with evidence.

With News Wire Services