AURORA, Colo. – A gunman wearing a gas mask and body armor opened fire early Friday in a crowded suburban Denver theater at the opening of the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises, killing 12 people and injuring at least 50.
Federal law enforcement officials identified the suspect as James Holmes, 24, who lives about 4 miles away from the theater in Aurora. He is in custody.
Officials said the suspect purchased a ticket for the show and once inside the theater propped open an emergency exit door, which he later entered after retrieving four weapons and a tear gas canister.
See Also:
Federal law enforcement officials identified the suspect as James Holmes, 24, who lives about 4 miles away from the theater in Aurora. He is in custody.
Officials said the suspect purchased a ticket for the show and once inside the theater propped open an emergency exit door, which he later entered after retrieving four weapons and a tear gas canister.
See Also:
Rush Limbaugh Suggests 'Dark Knight Rises' Villain 'Bane' A Deliberate Romney Reference
‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Read How Christopher Nolan’s New Batman Movie Directly Relates To The Haves and Have Nots
Dressed in dark clothing, he stood at the front of the theater and hurled the canister as he fired into the crowd at around 12:30 a.m. MT at the multiplex theater in a mall in Aurora, police said.
"There were bullet (casings) just falling on my head. They were burning my forehead," Jennifer Seeger said, adding that the gunman, dressed like a SWAT team member, fired steadily except when he stopped to reload.
"Every few seconds it was just, boom, boom, boom," she said. "He would reload and shoot, and anyone who would try to leave would just get killed."
Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed to the scene after frantic calls flooded the 911 switchboard.
A police officer could be heard over a police scanner yelling, "Get us some damn gas masks for Theater 9, we can't get in."
Officers came running in and told people to leave the theater, Salina Jordan told TheDenver Post. She said some police were carrying and dragging bodies.
Moviegoers were confused at first because there was an on-screen gunbattle happening at the time the shooting started.
"We all thought it was a joke," said Joseph Soto, 18, who was in an adjacent theater when shots rang out. "We found out it wasn't a joke."
Rounds from Theater 9 where the shooting occurred came through the wall into Theater 8 where he was sitting, Soto said. He said theater staff ushered patrons out a side door, warning them not to go out the main entrance.
"It was relatively calm for what was happening," he said.
Heavily armed police and FBI agents in gas masks surrounded the suspect's apartment building, which they said could be booby-trapped. Five buildings in the area were evacuated. Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said bomb technicians were determining how to disarm possibly flammable or explosive material in the third-floor apartment.
FBI agents and police used a hook-and-ladder fire truck and put a camera at the end of 12-foot pole inside the apartment. Oates said pictures from inside the apartment were fairly disturbing and the devices looked to be sophisticated.
"The cops said there has been a bomb found, and there's lots of booby traps," said Shawn Swagerty, 29, whose mother lives in the complex and who said she had seen the suspect's white car with Tennessee plates driving around from time to time.
Police said the suspect offered no resistance when he was arrested at the rear of the theater. Police said he had a rifle, handgun and gas mask when he was arrested. Another gun was found in his car.
Oates said 10 victims died at the theater and two died at area hospitals.
FBI spokesman Jason Pack said there's no indication in the investigation of any connection to terrorism. At least 100 federal agents are involved in the investigation.
Investigators attempted to trace the source of the weapons and tracked telephone calls and possible e-mail communications before to the attack.
On a campaign stop in Fort Myers, Fla., President Obama called the shooting evil and senseless.
"They (the victims) had hopes for the future and dreams not yet fulfilled. If there's anything to take away from this tragedy, it's that life is very fragile. Our time here is limited and precious," Obama said. "What matters here today are not small, trivial things, but how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another."
Holmes' family released a statement: "Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved. We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time. Our family is cooperating with authorities in both San Diego, Calif., and Aurora, Colo. We are still trying to process this information, and we appreciate that people will respect our privacy."
Moviegoers spoke of their terror when the violence erupted and people around them fell victim.
Benjamin Fernandez, 30, told the Post he heard a series of explosions. He said people ran from the theater and there were gunshots as police shouted, "Get down!"
Fernandez said he saw people falling, including one young girl.
Jordan told the paper one girl was struck in the cheek, others in the stomach, including a girl who looked to be around 9 years old.
Jordan said it sounded like firecrackers until someone ran into Theater 8 yelling, "They're shooting out here!"
Hayden Miller told KUSA-TV that he heard several shots.
"Like little explosions going on and shortly after that, we heard people screaming," he told the station.
Hayden said at first he thought it was part of a louder movie next door. Then he saw "people hunched over, leaving the theater."
Some people in the audience thought the thick smoke and gunfire was a special effect accompanying the movie, police and witnesses said.
"We just heard a pop, pop, pop, pop," Quentin Caldwell, who was attending the Batman showing in an adjacent theater, told CNN.
Victims were transported to at least six area hospitals. Many were rushed immediately to hospitals in police cars by responding officers.
KUSA reported that some hospitalized victims were being treated for chemical exposure, possibly related to a canister thrown by the gunman.
The youngest victim, a 4-month-old infant, was treated and released from the hospital, according to KUSA.
At Gateway High School, which officials used as a staging area to gather and interview witnesses, survivors were provided mental health counseling through the Red Crosswhile they waited to talk to investigators.
The Rev. Michael Borgstede of the nearby Mount Olive Lutheran Church said victims and witnesses need a "listening ear."
Borgstede said he walked over to the school to provide whatever counsel he could. "I'm just hoping to sit with them and pray," he said.
Eric Soto, 42, was at the school with his son Joseph. "He called me about 12:30 and said, 'Come pick me up, Dad, come pick me up.' I could tell he was nervous," Soto said.
"He said it sounded like firecrackers," Soto said, standing outside the school while his son was interviewed by investigators.
Aurora is on Denver's east side and is Colorado's third-largest city with 327,000 residents. It is home to a large Defense Department satellite intelligence operation atBuckley Air Force Base, as well as the Children's Hospital, the University of Colorado Hospital and a future Veterans Affairs hospital.
Officials in the area scrambled to use social media to get word out about the shooting.
"We certainly appreciate the nation's thoughts and prayers as our police department continues to investigate the terrible theater shooting tragedy that occurred today," said a statement posted on the city's Facebook. "Our condolences go out to the victims and their family members."
The Red Cross used Twitter to urge people who were in the theater to use social media to alert friends and family that they are safe. Spokesman Patricia Billinger recommended that area residents update their Facebook and other social media accounts to let their friends know they are safe.
Billinger said that during all the uncertainty about who was at what showing of the popular movie, taking that extra step will help reassure family and friends.
"People don't know how close you were, so help alleviate that anxiety," she said.
Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, already in Colorado and New Mexico ministering to victims of the ravaging wildfires, redeployed to Aurora within hours of the shooting. The group's website included evangelical advice on "spiritual survival" in tragedy.
Radio stations were filled with calls from anguished listeners.
U.S. distributor Warner Bros. released a statement that said, "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 company canceled the Paris premiere of the movie, saying it would be inappropriate in light of the tragedy. It said had no plans to change or cancel domestic screenings.
New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the department plans to provide extra security at theaters in the five boroughs showing the new movie.
"This is not only an act of extreme violence, it is also an act of depravity," Colo. Gov.John Hickenlooper said. "It is beyond the power of words to fully express our sorrow this morning."
Source
‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Read How Christopher Nolan’s New Batman Movie Directly Relates To The Haves and Have Nots
Dressed in dark clothing, he stood at the front of the theater and hurled the canister as he fired into the crowd at around 12:30 a.m. MT at the multiplex theater in a mall in Aurora, police said.
"There were bullet (casings) just falling on my head. They were burning my forehead," Jennifer Seeger said, adding that the gunman, dressed like a SWAT team member, fired steadily except when he stopped to reload.
"Every few seconds it was just, boom, boom, boom," she said. "He would reload and shoot, and anyone who would try to leave would just get killed."
Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed to the scene after frantic calls flooded the 911 switchboard.
A police officer could be heard over a police scanner yelling, "Get us some damn gas masks for Theater 9, we can't get in."
Officers came running in and told people to leave the theater, Salina Jordan told TheDenver Post. She said some police were carrying and dragging bodies.
Moviegoers were confused at first because there was an on-screen gunbattle happening at the time the shooting started.
"We all thought it was a joke," said Joseph Soto, 18, who was in an adjacent theater when shots rang out. "We found out it wasn't a joke."
Rounds from Theater 9 where the shooting occurred came through the wall into Theater 8 where he was sitting, Soto said. He said theater staff ushered patrons out a side door, warning them not to go out the main entrance.
"It was relatively calm for what was happening," he said.
Heavily armed police and FBI agents in gas masks surrounded the suspect's apartment building, which they said could be booby-trapped. Five buildings in the area were evacuated. Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said bomb technicians were determining how to disarm possibly flammable or explosive material in the third-floor apartment.
FBI agents and police used a hook-and-ladder fire truck and put a camera at the end of 12-foot pole inside the apartment. Oates said pictures from inside the apartment were fairly disturbing and the devices looked to be sophisticated.
"The cops said there has been a bomb found, and there's lots of booby traps," said Shawn Swagerty, 29, whose mother lives in the complex and who said she had seen the suspect's white car with Tennessee plates driving around from time to time.
Police said the suspect offered no resistance when he was arrested at the rear of the theater. Police said he had a rifle, handgun and gas mask when he was arrested. Another gun was found in his car.
Oates said 10 victims died at the theater and two died at area hospitals.
FBI spokesman Jason Pack said there's no indication in the investigation of any connection to terrorism. At least 100 federal agents are involved in the investigation.
Investigators attempted to trace the source of the weapons and tracked telephone calls and possible e-mail communications before to the attack.
On a campaign stop in Fort Myers, Fla., President Obama called the shooting evil and senseless.
"They (the victims) had hopes for the future and dreams not yet fulfilled. If there's anything to take away from this tragedy, it's that life is very fragile. Our time here is limited and precious," Obama said. "What matters here today are not small, trivial things, but how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another."
Holmes' family released a statement: "Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved. We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time. Our family is cooperating with authorities in both San Diego, Calif., and Aurora, Colo. We are still trying to process this information, and we appreciate that people will respect our privacy."
Moviegoers spoke of their terror when the violence erupted and people around them fell victim.
Benjamin Fernandez, 30, told the Post he heard a series of explosions. He said people ran from the theater and there were gunshots as police shouted, "Get down!"
Fernandez said he saw people falling, including one young girl.
Jordan told the paper one girl was struck in the cheek, others in the stomach, including a girl who looked to be around 9 years old.
Jordan said it sounded like firecrackers until someone ran into Theater 8 yelling, "They're shooting out here!"
Hayden Miller told KUSA-TV that he heard several shots.
"Like little explosions going on and shortly after that, we heard people screaming," he told the station.
Hayden said at first he thought it was part of a louder movie next door. Then he saw "people hunched over, leaving the theater."
Some people in the audience thought the thick smoke and gunfire was a special effect accompanying the movie, police and witnesses said.
"We just heard a pop, pop, pop, pop," Quentin Caldwell, who was attending the Batman showing in an adjacent theater, told CNN.
Victims were transported to at least six area hospitals. Many were rushed immediately to hospitals in police cars by responding officers.
KUSA reported that some hospitalized victims were being treated for chemical exposure, possibly related to a canister thrown by the gunman.
The youngest victim, a 4-month-old infant, was treated and released from the hospital, according to KUSA.
At Gateway High School, which officials used as a staging area to gather and interview witnesses, survivors were provided mental health counseling through the Red Crosswhile they waited to talk to investigators.
The Rev. Michael Borgstede of the nearby Mount Olive Lutheran Church said victims and witnesses need a "listening ear."
Borgstede said he walked over to the school to provide whatever counsel he could. "I'm just hoping to sit with them and pray," he said.
Eric Soto, 42, was at the school with his son Joseph. "He called me about 12:30 and said, 'Come pick me up, Dad, come pick me up.' I could tell he was nervous," Soto said.
"He said it sounded like firecrackers," Soto said, standing outside the school while his son was interviewed by investigators.
Aurora is on Denver's east side and is Colorado's third-largest city with 327,000 residents. It is home to a large Defense Department satellite intelligence operation atBuckley Air Force Base, as well as the Children's Hospital, the University of Colorado Hospital and a future Veterans Affairs hospital.
Officials in the area scrambled to use social media to get word out about the shooting.
"We certainly appreciate the nation's thoughts and prayers as our police department continues to investigate the terrible theater shooting tragedy that occurred today," said a statement posted on the city's Facebook. "Our condolences go out to the victims and their family members."
The Red Cross used Twitter to urge people who were in the theater to use social media to alert friends and family that they are safe. Spokesman Patricia Billinger recommended that area residents update their Facebook and other social media accounts to let their friends know they are safe.
Billinger said that during all the uncertainty about who was at what showing of the popular movie, taking that extra step will help reassure family and friends.
"People don't know how close you were, so help alleviate that anxiety," she said.
Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, already in Colorado and New Mexico ministering to victims of the ravaging wildfires, redeployed to Aurora within hours of the shooting. The group's website included evangelical advice on "spiritual survival" in tragedy.
Radio stations were filled with calls from anguished listeners.
U.S. distributor Warner Bros. released a statement that said, "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 company canceled the Paris premiere of the movie, saying it would be inappropriate in light of the tragedy. It said had no plans to change or cancel domestic screenings.
New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the department plans to provide extra security at theaters in the five boroughs showing the new movie.
"This is not only an act of extreme violence, it is also an act of depravity," Colo. Gov.John Hickenlooper said. "It is beyond the power of words to fully express our sorrow this morning."
Source
Man this is something I was getting my thoughts ready to watch this film when I had a chance. I believed that watching both the first one and the second one after I got off the chat last nite would refresh the events of the films as a whole. If you have watched the films they are very deep when dealing with charity, honor, and good .vs. evil. The films creator does a great job of relating real life fact with fiction. However, the films are based off of facts if you gauge how they deal with society and those who run it, as well as, those who can change it.
ReplyDeleteNo sure of what this guy was following, Only one people has made any off the wall comments about this movie that people seem to follow in large numbers, even if they often say the message I was trying to say was not that one (Rush).
All we can do is wait to see if this guy is a talker like Zimmerman, or hope the cops can piece together his motives for this crime. Most people on the surface would not fit the profile of what this guy did. However, it was thought out in great detail.
Yet people must realize that it's not the surface you, that make a people do what they do, it's what's inside.
Plus, I forgot to add that just because there are White people there, does not mean you will be safe! They do always complain about us, but today:
DeleteTear Gas
Body Armor
3 Guns with ammo enough to get the people viewing the other screening on the other side in the same place.
Blacks don't do that. Yet!
Think about it dude threw Tactical Smoke grenades in there. I have actually seen a real grenade before, but I don't know where to buy one! Still, I am glad this was not a brother cause white people would have ate this ish up!