After several violent incidents at movie theaters, the company that owns the United Artist at the Oxford Valley Mall in Middletown will begin inspections of moviegoers backpacks and bags.
The new security measure, a first for the large theater chains, was put into place by United Artist operator Regal Entertainment Group this week.
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A statement from the company said backpacks and bags will be inspected before customers enter the theater.
“We acknowledge that this procedure can cause some inconvenience and that it is not without flaws, but hope these are minor in comparison to increased safety,” a statement said.
The move comes after two recent high-profile incidents at movie houses. So far this summer, a gunman killed two people and then himself in a shooting at a theater in Louisiana and a man was killed by police after attacking people outside a theater with an irritant and hatchet earlier this month. In 2012, James Holmes walked into a crowded Colorado theater and killed several people.
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“We believe that the movie theatres have always been and will continue to be places where friends, families and communities can safely gather together for a few hours of fun and entertainment,” a company official said, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Regal Entertainment Group is the nation’s largest movie theater chain.
