After Wednesday's fatal shooting in the lobby of Loews at The Waterfront, officials at the theater chain's corporate headquarters in New York scrambled to beef up security at the West Homestead multiplex even as some parents vowed they would no longer allow their children to go to the movies there.

Loews canceled all further showings of "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," -- the movie that victim Shelton Flowers watched before being shot in a gunfight in the lobby -- until the police investigation is complete.

Officials at Loews said they weren't sure there was any connection between the shooting and the movie, based on singer 50 Cent's gangster-to-riches life story and his own gun battles, one of which left him riddled with nine bullet wounds.

Loews corporate spokesman John McCauley said specific details had not been finalized but hastened to stress the movie chain's commitment to safety.

"We're very saddened and disappointed by last night's unfortunate events. However we want to assure moviegoers that this was an extremely rare and isolated incident," said Mr. McCauley yesterday, reading a statement issued by the company.

"Security, safety and enjoyment of our patrons is our highest priority and we will continue to do everything possible to provide a safe atmosphere for our customers."

But Barbara Farrell, of Wilkinsburg, a mother of two, said the shootings were disturbing, coming after an incident at the same theater last Christmas when fighting broke out among unruly patrons, prompting the complex's closing.

"It really bothered me," she said. "I never felt unsafe there before. We used to go there all the time but not anymore.

"My children, who are 6 and 7, asked me, 'Mom, why would someone walk into a movie theater and shoot someone in real life?' "

Kathy Fitzgerald, of Squirrel Hill, allows her children to attend movies at Loews during the day but never at night, citing concerns about the December incident. She also noted that the theater's large lobby, complete with video games, "is too much of a hangout place for teens, and I don't see anything productive in hanging out."

Adam J. Janosko, a West Homestead police officer, said he has no safety concerns. "I'm bringing my kids tomorrow or the next day to see Chicken Little. If we're bringing our kids here, it's not a problem."

Officials at other movie chains showing "Get Rich" say there have been no incidents, either locally or nationally, since the film's opening, but Destinta Theatres, with complexes in Collier and North Versailles, is planning to increase security by stationing uniformed police officers in each auditorium showing the film, said John Spare, senior vice president of operations. As it is, the theater already increases security on weekends, when crowds are larger, he said.

"We've never had a problem with any types of altercations," Mr. Spare said. "We feel we've been pretty fortunate."

Brian Callahan, a spokesman for National Amusements, which owns Showcase Cinemas, declined to detail its theaters' security arrangements, "but we do feel they are adequate."

Judy Russell, spokesperson for Carmike, a 311-theater chain with six theaters in the Pittsburgh area, said it is showing the "Get Rich" film but has not experienced problems.

But, she added, "on the weekends, when there are large numbers of customers coming through the theaters, we do have more security, mainly because of what are probably isolated incidents."

This week's shooting came two weeks before one of the biggest movie release days of the year -- the day before Thanksgiving -- and theater operators don't need another reason for customers to stay home and wait for the DVD.

But if, down the road, any of them are forced by incidents like Wednesday's to increase security to include metal detectors, they can be sure Ms. Farrell won't be patronizing them.

"It's bad enough to have to go through metal detectors when I go to my local supermarket or bank," she said. "If I have to go to a movie that has metal detectors, I'll wait until it comes out on video."