Mass Shooting at the Batman Premiere in Aurora, Colorado (12 dead, 50 wounded)

A lone gunman dressed in riot gear burst into a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., at a midnight showing of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" and methodically began shooting patrons, killing at least 12 people and injuring at least 50.

The suspect, James Holmes, 24, of Aurora, was caught by police in the parking lot of the Century 16 Movie Theaters, nine miles outside Denver, after police began receiving dozens of 911 calls at 12:39 a.m. MT. Police said the man appeared to have acted alone.

Witnesses in the movie theater said Holmes crashed into the auditorium through an emergency exit about 30 minutes into the film, set off a smoke bomb, and began shooting. Holmes stalked the aisles of the theater, shooting people at random, as panicked movie-watchers in the packed auditorium tried to escape, witnesses said.

"You just smelled smoke and you just kept hearing it, you just heard bam bam bam, non-stop. The gunman never had to reload. Shots just kept going, kept going, kept going," one witness told ABC News.
"I'm with coworkers and we're on the floor praying to God we don't get shot, and the gunshots continue on and on, and when the sound finally stopped, we started to get up and people were just bleeding," another theatergoer said.


Police said 10 victims died inside the theater, while dozens of others were taken to local hospitals, including a child as young as 6 years old.

A San Diego woman identifying herself as James Holmes's mother spoke briefly with ABC News this morning.

She had awoken unaware of the news of the shooting and had not been contacted by authorities. She immediately expressed concern that her son may have been involved.

"You have the right person," she said.

"I need to call the police," she added. "I need to fly out to Colorado."

Holmes was wearing a bullet-proof vest and riot helmet and carrying a gas mask, rifle, and handgun, when he was apprehended, according to police. Holmes mentioned having explosives stored, leading police to evacuate his entire North Aurora apartment complex and search the buildings early this morning.
The highly-anticipated third installment of the Batman triology opened to packed auditoriums around the country at midnight showings on Friday morning, and features a villain named Bane who wears a bulletproof vest and gas mask. Trailers for the movie show explosions at public events including a football game. Though many moviegoers dressed in costume to attend the opening night screening, police have made no statements about any connection between the gunman's motives and the movie.

Police in New York have intensified security around showings of the film throughout the five boroughs today, with police commissioner Ray Kelley saying that "as a precaution against copycats and to raise the comfort levels among movie patrons in the wake of the horrendous shooting in Colorado, the New York City Police Department is providing coverage at theaters where the 'The Dark Knight Rises' is playing."
The Paris premiere of the movie has been cancelled in the wake of the shootings. "Warner Bros. is deeply saddened to learn about this shocking incident. We extend our sincere sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims at this tragic time," the movie's producers, said in a statement.

Witnesses watching movies in theaters next to the one where the shooting took place said bullets tore through the theater walls and they heard screaming.

"The suspect throws tear gas in the air, and as the tear gas appears he started shooting," said Lamar Lane, who was watching the midnight showing of the movie with his brother. "It was very hard to breathe. I told my brother to take cover. It took awhile. I started seeing flashes and screaming, I just saw blood and people yelling and a quick glimpse of the guy who had a gas mask on. I was pushed out. There was chaos, we started running."

One witness said she saw people dropping to the ground after the gunshots began.

"We were maybe 20 or 30 minutes into the movie and all you hear, first you smell smoke, everybody thought it was fireworks or something like that, and then you just see people dropping and the gunshots are constant," witness Christ Jones told ABC's Denver affiliate KMGH. "I heard at least 20 to 30 rounds within that minute or two."

A man who talked to a couple who was inside the theater told ABC News, "They got up and they started to run through the emergency exit, and that when she turned around, she said all she saw was the guy slowly making his way up the stairs and just firing at people, just picking random people," he said. "The gunshots continued to go on and on and then after we didn't hear anything...we finally got up and there was people bleeding, there was people obviously may have been actually dead or anything, and we just ran up out of there, there was chaos everywhere."

Witnesses and victims were taken to Gateway High School for questioning.

Hundreds of police and FBI agents are involved in the investigation. A senior official who is monitoring the situation in Washington said that early guidance based on the early snapshot of this man's background indicated that this act does not appear to be linked to radical terrorism or anything related to Islamic terrorism.

Though police have said that they believe the shooter was acting alone, they checked all cars in the parking lot and cleared the area near the theater.

Dr. Comilla Sasson, at the University of Colorado Hospital where many of the victims were taken, said they are currently operating on nine critical patients and have treated 22 in all. She called the hospital "an absolutely terrifying scene all night."

"The good news is that the 3-month-old has actually been discharged home and is in the care of their parents

In a statement, President Obama said, "Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado. Federal and local law enforcement are still responding, and my administration will do everything that we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time. We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded."

A man who was in the adjacent theater with his son, said that the commotion began as one of the action scenes was starting up.

"These guys came through, and they say someone's shooting," he said. "I thought, 'Oh, they must have heard the fireworks, you know ... I had no idea. And then the alarms started to go off in the theater.'"
An explosive device was also found inside the movie house. Police are not sure whether the device, which investigators are calling a bomb, was already in place or whether it was thrown into the crowd.
Ambulances rushed to the scene as audience members fled the theater.
Investigators are now interviewing friends and associates of the suspect to get a sense of the man's background.




http://gma.yahoo.com/mass-shooting-colo-movie-theater-14-people-dead-085940786--abc-news-topstories.html



A horrible shame when one can't even go to the movies without having to worry about some psychopath walking in and shooting the place up. These times were living in......And why does this type of stuff always seem to happen in Colorado mostly?

this maniac lived in riverside for alittle
do you think this is linked to the bill that is in washington right now trying to make weapons illegal.

Hazzard909 wrote:this maniac lived in riverside for alittle
do you think this is linked to the bill that is in washington right now trying to make weapons illegal.

The up and coming UN Gun Treaty deal? I'm not sure, but this is being discussed as a possibility all over the net right now. One thing I can foresee coming from this in the near future; increased levels of security in public places.

I wouldn't be surprised if an agency like the TSA, or similar Homeland security type, were to use this event as a means of justification for disbursement into public places such as movie theaters i.e., having X-ray screenings and thorough pat-downs of individuals before walking in the actual theaters or whatever the place may be.

Without delving to far into the deep end, I think this may very well be just another "Manchurian candidate" and problem-reaction-solution debacle. There is a strong possibility that they will use this incident to justify banning the second amendment. All oppressive regimes disarm their populations.

Basically, more harassment and removal of freedoms/violations of constitutional right for the American people.

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=744626


Security increased at movies following shootings
July 20, 2012, 2:39 PM EST
(AP) -- Some theaters and police around the U.S. stepped up security at daytime showings of the new Batman movie Friday after the massacre in Colorado, and while many fans were undeterred by the tragedy, others were nervous about going to see the film.


New York police officers at a movie theater as people arrive for a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" on July 20. (©AP)
Two police officers were stationed outside the AMC theater in New York's Times Square, which had showings of the "The Dark Knight Rises" beginning every 20 minutes. Later in the day, the officers gave way to a police cruiser that was parked out front with an officer in it.

Bing: The latest on the Colorado theater shooting

Jimmy Baker, 40, of Harlem had been waiting since about 9:45 a.m. for the 12:50 p.m. show. "I just felt bad for the people that had to be traumatized by this entire event," he said. But "I didn't feel like it had any kind of effect on me. ... I'm just here to enjoy a good movie."

Stephanie Suriel, 21, of Brooklyn, waiting outside the same theater, said her mother was slightly concerned about her going to see the film. But "I'm not nervous at all because I really want to see that movie."

Still, just to be safe, she said, "I'm going to sit in the back."

The New York City Police Department was posting officers at about 40 theaters around the city that were showing the film. The increased security was a precaution against potential copycat shooters, and also meant to reassure moviegoers.

Also: Warner Bros. considers cancellation of 'Dark Knight Rises' screenings

"We're doing this to raise the comfort level," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "We'd certainly encourage everybody to go about their business."

In Washington, the Homeland Security Department held a conference call with officials from the commercial, entertainment and shopping mall industries to discuss what security measures they could take to prevent something like this from happening again.

At the Regal Gallery Place multiplex in downtown Washington, moviegoers trickled into an 11 a.m. showing. Theater employees searched patrons' bags and purses while taking their tickets.

"I'm believing that it's not related so much to the movie," Steve Glaude, a 57-year-old federal employee, said of the shooting. "The movie may have been a trigger. It may not have been. We don't know. I don't think it was hero or villain emulation."

More: Paris premiere of new Batman movie canceled

In Aurora, Colo., a gunman wearing a gas mask set off a gas canister and fired into a crowded theater in the Denver suburb at a midnight opening of the movie, killing at least 12 people.

Christine Cooley, who works for the University of Florida at a campus installation near Tampa, Fla., said she and her 15-year-old daughter were stunned to wake up to the news. Cooley said her daughter has sworn off going to the movies.

"It's tainted the movie completely for her," Cooley said. "It's summertime. That's a big movie time for teenagers. That movie is off the list now. Movie theaters in general are off her summer to-do list because of that."

Cooley said she tried to explain that the shooting was random and not an indication of security at theaters in general, "but I can see where she's coming from. Why put yourself in harm's way?"

At the United Artists Riverview Stadium 17 in Philadelphia, a steady stream of people headed in for morning showings of "The Dark Knight Rises." Staff members said that there was extra security, but that that was normal for big movies — and not because of the shooting in Colorado.

Neal Mates, 38, a professed "film geek," said: "Shootings can happen anywhere. ... I think it's silly to blame the film."

Executives of St. Louis-based Wehrenberg Theatres had discussions before dawn with managers of its 15 cinemas in Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa, spokeswoman Kelly Hoskins said. She said the company feels comfortable with security already in place and plans no changes. She said she hopes other theater chains don't panic and cancel showings.

"That just wouldn't be good," she said. "It's like a terrorist attack — you don't want them to think we're all scared."

The National Association of Theater Owners said in a statement that its members are "working closely with local law enforcement agencies and reviewing security procedures." AMC Theaters said it is "actively working with local law enforcement in communities throughout the nation and under the circumstances, we are reaching out to all of our theaters to review our safety and security procedures."

its a conspiracy, i tell you
after they get enough cyco mofos to go postal, month after month, year after year, college campus after movie theater
after they have so many massacres, then BAM!, everyone in amerika will want to outlaw all personal weapons
then, after you get some laws placed on the books and everybody gets unarmed.. then they'll institute their new tyranny
the new amerikan order.. federal law above all else.. and no one will have neither the guns, not the training, nor the lobbyist
nor any political clout to deter the feds from taking over all types of control over you and and society at large
so all these cyco madman going nuts and squeezing the trigger at work, at school, in public places, are all a part of a great..
conspiracy in the making

the dude was a phd student, weird.

PHD DON'T MEAN MEAN SHIT
that only means you were raised on books and feeling pressured

he was studying psychiatric and mental disorders too. dude musta got tripped out on his own shit

DontxTrip wrote:he was studying psychiatric and mental disorders too. dude musta got tripped out on his own shit

That or maybe he already had a problem and was trying to understand it to figure out why he had it or maybe he wanted for other reasons regardless we wont know so doesn't help speculating.

Man shit like this pisses me off it seems suspicious that he did this for this specific movie, also this movie talked a lot about injustice by governments and the rich abusing the poor and ppl rising up to go against the government but I even a repulican radio talk show host said that batman rises was against republicans and now this happens? and they keep blasting all these articles about it and shit . It made the movie look bad and I wouldn't be surprised if this was a setup. Why for 1 to make the movie look bad and to make ppl not go 2 why is it this has so media attention but the 15 year old male killed in San bernardino earlier isnt getting the same attention? Everyday more ppl in America die then all the ppl in that shooting combine but yet their murders or deaths never hit the fan ? Why is it that the media always likes to talk about bad news like a bunch of high school girls rather than good news? Im telling you this is a setup to make ppl scared fearful, and to take away guns and stuff like that from the people I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't crazy was just payed. The government is crazy man they are very sneaky and dirty if they got to be. All the media doing is making ppl scared and glorifying the thing he did. I dont know man it seems like bs.

^^^^^ i kind of of agree..... but this foo had a undergrad w honors in neuroscience a very tough discipline...... i wonder why in the hell he snapped......

3-5 years theres gonan be a movie bout it. FACT!

DontxTrip wrote:3-5 years theres gonan be a movie bout it. FACT!

documentary forsure