More than 60 injured or killed at Colorado Batman premire

nooshinjohn

Unbelievable....

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/20/several-reportedly-dead-injured-after-shooting-at-colorado-movie-theater/

At least 12 people have been killed and up to 50 injured after a mass shooting at a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" at a suburban Denver movie theater, police say.

The suspect, identified by federal law enforcement officials as James Holmes, 24, is in police custody. KUSA reports that Holmes kicked down an emergency door at the theater, threw in some type of a smoke bomb and began shooting when moviegoers started to run.

Witnesses say they heard a series of explosions and up to 20 gunshots after the scene grew chaotic. About 100 witnesses were taken to a local high school to be questioned by police.

Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed on the Aurora, Colo., theater after frantic 911 calls around 12:30 a.m. local time, officials said.

Holmes reportedly fired shots inside the theater and fled to the parking lot and was confronted by police already at the theater for crowd control.

Holmes wore a bulletproof vest, police said, and was carrying a rifle and two handguns. The handguns may have been placed in the theater before the shooting.

FBI spokesman Jason Pack said there's no indication in the investigation so far of any connection to terrorism.

President Obama said he is "shocked and saddened" by the mass shooting and urged the nation to "come together as one American family." He said his administration will do everything it can to support the people of Aurora, Colo. The White House says Obama, who was in Florida at the time of the shooting, was informed of the shooting by Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan.

James Wilburn was sitting in the second row of theater 9 after midnight when an emergency door opened and a man entered, the Denver Post reports.

"He was dressed in black," Wilburn told the newspaper. "Wearing a flack jacket and a gas mask."

The man was carrying a shotgun and had a rifle strapped to his back, Wilburn said. The gunman then dropped a canister, causing a noxious gas to spew out. He raised the shotgun and repeatedly fired toward the back of the theater.

Wilburn and three friends dove to the floor, hiding behind seats in front of them. The gunman was only five or six feet away, he said.

Once the shotgun was empty, the gunman calmly dropped it to the floor, took the rifle and went on firing. Wilburn heard roughly 30 shots, the Denver Post reports.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Naya Thompson and her 22-year-old boyfriend Derrick Poage were running for their lives. Thompson said the gas spread and the gunman may have dropped two canisters.

"It was like a tear gas," Thompson told the newspaper. "I was coughing and choking and I couldn't breathe."

James Cameron, who was in an adjacent theater, said he heard commotion and screaming. People seated around him began coughing and having difficulty breathing.

"By the sound of it, it sounds like there could have been three or four guys shooting," he said.

Audra Mincey, a spokeswoman for the Swedish Medical Center, told Fox News there are two patients in critical condition.

Mincey said the hospital set up its incident command center and mobilized personnel.

Police Chief Dan Oates said there's no evidence of any other attackers. There was also no immediate word of any motive.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/20/several-reportedly-dead-injured-after-shooting-at-colorado-movie-theater/#ixzz21AXEYzCS

My heart goes out to anyone touched by this....

Toolfan66

I wake up this morning pour a cup of coffee turn on the news, and I still can't believe this happened. What the hell is wrong with people? Why?

Another horrible story in the state of Colorado. Prayers sent to all involved!!

Brace yourself for copycats in the near future,

exalted512

13 miles away from Columbine...crazy.
-Cody

PrazVT

This is horrible and senseless - I just don't understand why people do things like this. Brings back memories of my last semester at Va Tech when that other **** shot up the campus and killed 32 people. My prayers go out to all affected as well...

-Prashant.

Fireman32

Terrible news. The youngest person injured was 6 months old. Here is a question who the hell brings a 6 month old baby to a midnight viewing of a movie?

F1nut

What the hell is wrong with people? Why?

My thoughts exactly.

cnh

Another tragic day in Colorado. Evidently, the shooter was a Ph.D. candidate in Neuroscience at U. of Colorado. Certainly can't say this guy was some low life. But obviously disturbed. A disturbed brain studying the brain?

Acts like this just seem insane to the point of uniqueness until one can put a "context" on them. Which is not to excuse them! There are probably A LOT of individuals like this guy out there. The question is NOT why these things happen, but why they aren't ALWAYS occurring. The PRESS never does complete its investigations. It prefers to just label them crazy and unique and pass on.

My sympathies to all who lost friends and family members and to the wounded a swift recovery!

cnh

starkiller

Went to many shows at this theater since i lived in aurora for 35 years and the aurora mall was right down the street My sympathies to all those injured or killed and their families. Same to the shooter's family...as for him, throw away the key. Will have to start making phone calls to see if anyone i knew was involved and yep, why were 6month and 3 and 4 year olds at the show in the first place? Whacked world = whacked people:twisted:

nooshinjohn

starkiller wrote: »

Whacked people = whacked world:twisted:

fixed...

Syndil

Any word on if anyone fired back?

mole'

just crazy

obieone

From what I heard on the radio, this guy's apt. is RIGGED with high explosives. They had to evacuate a couple of city blocks?
Ofcourse, that could just be the usual b.s. reported.
"Facts?! We don't need no stinking facts"

gudnoyez

Why did'nt authorities just shoot him in the parking lot after he admited? They should have, a lenghty trial and all the media BS over this will only make it harder for those that were there and survived or the family members from the fallen that were affected. Messed up world it is.

madmax

Shooting him is too easy of a punishment. If there had been some armed civilians there they would have probably taken him out after he fired into the air before he started killing people. If nothing else they could have shot him while he was reloading.

Polkie2009

+1 madmax, too bad some CHL holders didn't blast him into the next world and ended his attack.

nooshinjohn

It doesn't take long for liberty to become a casualty of events such as these.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-in-dc-md-step-up-security-following-colorado-massacre-at-movie-theater/2012/07/20/gJQACgFTyW_story.html

People are now being searched to enter theaters across the country tonight, including here in Los Angeles. I will not comply, so I will now wait for everything on bluray.

It is a tragedy what happened in Colorado today, but sacrificing our liberties should never be a response to tragedy.

dkg999

The reports are that the shooter tossed in tear gas canisters and potentially flash-bang grenades as he came in the "unlocked" exit door. Unless someone was in attendance with a CCW and recent urban combat experience, the potential to do anything to stop this with your weapon was very low. Firing into a smoke filled theater full of innocent people trying to hit a shooter dressed in black and wearing body armor is highly risky. We want those who accept the responsibility of CCW to be able to make smart decisions on when to use your weapon. The smart decision in this one was to take cover and get away.

My sympathies and prayers go out to the victims.

A free society is not without costs and risks, nor does a free society come with an absolute guarantee of safety. I love how the MSM wants to craft a story on this long before the facts are all known.

dudeinaroom

The police used a camera to look in the windows and saw the explosive devices. Said they would have to set it off and have the fire department extinguish the blaze before they could look for evidence. It was supposed to be a decoy so he would have more time to do his deed. I don't see why they could not enter through the window to disarm it, seeing as it was rigged to the door?

wayne3burk

My heart and prayers go out to the victims, their families and all who are affected by yet another senseless tragedy and act of violence.

stretchl

Polkie2009 wrote: »

+1 madmax, too bad some CHL holders didn't blast him into the next world and ended his attack.

. Yep. That's the ticket. More bullets flying through the smoke, past and likely into some of the dozens of people trying to take cover.

jbooker82

cnh wrote: »

Another tragic day in Colorado. Evidently, the shooter was a Ph.D. candidate in Neuroscience at U. of Colorado.

Before he decided to go to graduate school he could only land a job at McDonalds. So he decided to go on to graduate school in Colorado. I bet only being able to land a job at McDonalds after attending collage as an Honor Student with a degree in Neuroscience is a big factor in what made him snap.

DMara

Syndil wrote: »

Any word on if anyone fired back?

It's Colorado, not Texas :biggrin:

Dennis Gardner

As soon as I heard about it this morning my first statement was that he was a huge Heath Ledger fan and this was his retribution.

It came out later today, that he had died his hair crazy colors and called himself "The Joker" I bet we find out that he had an obsession with the first Dark Knight and became that part.

He boobie trapped his apt. and left loud music blasting to achieve a 911 call at midnight. He had gone to the theater earlier and propped the fire exit open to gain easy access at the front of 1 of 5 screens showing the film. He could have run between theaters and killed many more if he had enough ammo. He is crazy, even approaching diabolical, but not a stupid person.

Prayers to those in this time of loss.........

schwarcw

A tragedy for so many people. My heart is heavy for those who have sufferred.

smglbrth

nooshinjohn wrote: »

It doesn't take long for liberty to become a casualty of events such as these.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/police-in-dc-md-step-up-security-following-colorado-massacre-at-movie-theater/2012/07/20/gJQACgFTyW_story.html

People are now being searched to enter theaters across the country tonight, including here in Los Angeles. I will not comply, so I will now wait for everything on bluray.

It is a tragedy what happened in Colorado today, but sacrificing our liberties should never be a response to tragedy.

True. Who was it that said "those who sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"? Oh yes, Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson. Ya, suppose those two didn't know squat about it (insert massive amounts of sarcasm here).

The older I get the more I just can't stand morons...

DMara

Well, can't make everyone happy. After the tragedy happened, if the theater management didn't react in some way, i.e. tough check up (maybe for a little while), then there would have been some folks who cried foul and eventually sue if a second tragedy happened. I feel for all parties.

tonyb

Prayers for all those touched by this insane act.

If I was a carrying patron, or a cop, I would have had no problem shooting him dead and sleeping like a baby. Instead now, I have to be satisfied knowing a portion of my money will go for his defense, 3 squares a day, cable, clothes, and medical attention.

There is a level of safety one comes to expect in their own home and a different level of expectations when your foot is set out into public. I can't for the life of me figure out what drives people to kill , families yet, for no apparent reason. Not that theres a good one anyway. Given this dudes apartment, nobody knew he was sick in the head ? I mean you have to be to do something like this...right ?

mantis

All those people , my god.

I think the law needs to be stepped up. He does not deserve a lawyer , a court date or spend a single moment in our jail cells. He shout be tortured and killed slowly for his crime publicly . When you commit something this , all your rights are gone.

If the punishment is severe enough I believe people will think twice about there actions.

AsSiMiLaTeD

The whole thing sucks, but what kind of horrible parents bring a3 month old to see THAT movie, at a midnight showing.

I just done get people.......

gp4jesus

gudnoyez wrote: »

Messed up world it is.

Messed up world? We live in a fallen world.

See Genesis. Our hearts & prayers go out to the deceased & affected.

Shalom Tony

AsSiMiLaTeD

The world is no more messed up or "fallen" now than it was 2000 years ago. The only difference is that now information travels much faster and news coverage is 24/7.

There have always been crazy people, there will always be crazy people, simple as that.