Suit filed over fake shootout at movie theaters

Kim Smith

Wednesday, March 1, 2000 | 10:32 a.m.

A Las Vegas woman and her family are suing Century Rancho Santa Fe Theaters claiming she was injured during a publicity stunt staged last summer for the Will Smith movie "Wild, Wild, West."

According to the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday by Las Vegas attorney Louis Palazzo, Wanda Barlow and her family were leaving a movie at the theater when they were "horrified to see a wall of people coming toward them at a full run."

The family became separated in the ensuing chaos, and Barlow was knocked to the ground and trampled by a "mass of people," the lawsuit states.

During the incident Barlow heard people crying out that there had been gunfire in the theater and she became fearful for her life and the lives of her family.

The family saw people hiding under vehicles, scaling walls, cowering behind walls and hiding in empty theaters during the pandemonium, the lawsuit states.

Metro Police officers arrived after receiving numerous calls about a "full-blown shooting spree" only to find out that a mock shootout had taken place between actors, members of the Nevada Rangers Association and employees of the theater.

The lawsuit claims that the moviegoing public was not informed about the promotional gimmick and as a result Barlow received severe injuries.

Named as defendants in the lawsuit are Rancho Santa Fe Theaters, Nevada Rangers Association, Century Theaters and theater managers Ronald Malit and Michael Cetta.

Barlow and members of her family are seeking unspecified damages for negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Attempts to reach the theater this morning were unsuccessful. The theater complex is located across Rancho Drive from the Santa Fe hotel-casino.