Story by James Turner, Staff Writer

Photo by Kalea Anderson/The News

The recent shooting at Marshall County High School has caused places like Cheri Theatre in Murray and Cinemark in Paducah to consider and implement new preventative security measures.

Cheri Theatre is making plans to prepare for emergency situations, including an active shooter scenario.

Brian Hopkins, digital operations manager at Cheri Theatre, said they are working with a consultant to make plans for such events as tornadoes, fires and an active shooter.

“Myself and the general manager know what to do, but we want to make sure that our employees know what to do and where to meet,” Hopkins said.

Although he could not divulge any further information, he said some plans have already been in place for a while.

Cheri Theatre started asking customers to leave their backpacks at the box office since the July, 20, 2012 Aurora shooting in Colorado. Before the Marshall County shooting, the theatre already started having ushers check to make sure exit doors are shut and not propped open.

Hopkins said he hopes any changes made are not noticeable to the public. However, he said that’s just the theatre watching the backs of their customers.

“Just because we’re a small town does not mean that something couldn’t happen,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said if an active shooter situation should occur, the best thing customers could do is get down on the ground and hide. He said not to run; running makes you a target.

Mikayla Marshall, senior from Frankfort, Kentucky, said these kinds of changes are welcome.

“I think something needs to be done,” Marshall said. “Because with the amount of kids dying, and the amount of people dying, it’s just ridiculous at this point.”

Katie Schoenborn, a junior from St. Louis, Missouri, said the Paducah Cinemark’s new bag rule makes sense.

“I think it’s very rational with what has been going, especially with somewhere as close as Marshall County having a shooting,” Schoenborn said.

Hopkins said that they just want everyone to feel safe, and that they’re doing their best to look out for the safety of their customers.

“It’s a scary time in our world when we have to think of this stuff and plan for it,” Hopkins said. “But we just want people to know that we’re trying our best.”

On February 22, Cinemark in Paducah, Kentucky, implemented their own bag check policy. A new sign reads “Any bags or packages larger than 12 inches long, 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep will not be permitted in the theatre.”

There few exceptions, which include medical equipment bags and diaper bags, however, it also reads “Cinemark reserves the right to inspect all bags and packages entering the theatre.”