Man accused of bringing loaded AR-15 to Flix Brewhouse appears in court

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Deputies arrested a man who is accused of walking into an Albuquerque movie theater with a loaded AR-15.

Darnell Hill is now behind bars after BCSO deputies say he walked into Flix Brewhouse carrying a semi-automatic rifle Friday night.

Deputies report that employees ran and hid. They said Hill went to the kitchen where other workers were able to wrestle the gun away from him.

Hill’s girlfriend had told deputies they were there to watch a movie with her son, admitting Hill was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

Hill had his first court appearance Monday. Prosecutors said he is a danger to the community and filed a motion to keep him locked up before trial. He will remain behind bars, at least until his next court date. A district court judge will make a determination on whether or not he’s released.

Hill has been in trouble before, though a few cases were dismissed over the years. He pled guilty to a violent felony in 2019, but received a deferred sentence.

According to the district attorney’s office, that means, by law, he’s not considered a convicted felon, so he can still legally own a weapon.

Hill is charged with bringing a firearm into a licensed liquor establishment and negligent use of a deadly weapon.

Flix Brewhouse released a statement Sunday, saying:

“We are incredibly proud of the team members who came face to face with a very dangerous situation on Friday night.  We take the safety of our team and our guests very seriously and we will continue to use on-site security as a key part of ensuring everyone’s safety.“