Springfield mother who lost son in Aurora shooting OK with ‘Joker’

Jerri Jackson, who lost her son in the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting, offers comfort to Dayton and Springfield community after the Oregon District shooting. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Jerri Jackson, who lost her son in the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting, offers comfort to Dayton and Springfield community after the Oregon District shooting. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

A Springfield mother whose son died in the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting doesn’t have negative feelings about the new movie, “Joker”, despite other families calling for Warner Bros. to donate proceeds to victims of gun violence.

Jerri Jackson’s son, Matt McQuinn, was killed in the 2012 mass shooting. She said the film does not have anything to do with her.

“It’s not a story about our situation, I don’t really feel like they are related but they are trying to make it related,” Jackson told the Springfield News-Sun. “I would say it’s not related to me and go ahead and enjoy the movie.”

MORE: Springfield mother who lost son in mass shooting wants to help Dayton after tragedy

McQuinn was shot and killed along with 11 others during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” — a Batman movie. Seventy people were injured in the shooting.

“Joker”, which is scheduled to debut in theaters Oct. 4, is supposed to depict the back story of Batman’s archenemy.

“Joker” received an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, due to “strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language, and brief sexual images.”

Some critics have worried that the depiction of the Joker might influence moviegoers to commit violent crimes. Regal Cinemas has rebuked that concern, saying movies are not the cause of violence.

A letter obtained by the Hollywood Reporter and sent this week by some families impacted by the Aurora theater shooting to the Warner Bros. CEO says the company needs to take more responsibility.

“We are calling on you to be a part of the growing chorus of corporate leaders who understand that they have a social responsibility to keep us all safe,” the letter says.

The letter says they are not asking for the movie production company to halt the release of the film or a boycott, according to the Hollywood reporter, but does ask them to donate money to victims. The letter also asks AT&T, the parent company of Warner Bros., to stop donating to politicians who accept money from the National Rifle Association, the Hollywood Report said.

Jackson said she was contacted to sign the letter before it was sent out this week, but she along with other families declined. She said Warner Bros. supported her after the tragic shooting and that she appreciates them.

“The letter has really hit and missed because the shooter’s name is now in the news and is brought up,” Jackson said. “It just feels like it brings back the bad memories and what we had to go through and I don’t see how it’s related.”

Jackson said she has relationships with other families of the Aurora victims but is disappointed in the letter.

“I believe trying to stir anything up is wrong.”

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