12 people killed, and at least 38 wounded at the midnight showing of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in Aurora, Co., when a shooter entered the front of the theatre, sprayed tear gas and opened fire with multiple weapons.
The shooter, James Holmes, is a 24 year old with very little known criminal background other than a traffic ticket a year ago. Not much is known about his possible motive.
He was armed with tear gas, a shot gun, assault rifle, and two pistols.
Victims’ ages ranged from four months to 45 years old.
Salina Jordan told FOX news that she was in the theatre adjacent to the shooting. She said that the whole theatre was packed. She wasn’t very suspicious until a bullet came through the wall. Her friend had to force her to leave the theatre where they saw law enforcement pointing guns at theatre nine, as well as bloody shirts and wounded victims.
“I haven’t stopped shaking since last night,” she told FOX news. She explained that she woke up throughout the night still hearing the gun shots in her head.
The police found the suspect, Holmes, waiting outside the theatre at this car. He claimed that there were explosives in his car which later police found to be false. He also told officials his apartment was booby trapped.
In this incident he proved to me “a man of his word,” said Matt Lauer.
Law enforcement officials have found that the apartment is indeed housing flammable and explosive material that they are now trying to deal with. They have evacuated five buildings adjacent to the suspect’s.
Police Chief Dan Oates said that pictures from inside the apartment look disturbing. He also called the devices “sophisticated.”
President Barack Obama said he was looking forward to having a fun conversation at his campaign event today in Florida. Instead he took the time to speak out about the tragedy.
“It reminds us of all the ways we are united as one American family,” President Obama said.
He said that the federal government stands ready to do whatever necessary and take every step possible.
“Even as we learned how this happened and who’s responsible, we may never understand,” President Obama said. “Life is very fragile; our time here is limited, and it is precious.”
After acknowledging that his daughters go to the movies and it could have been them, he said that today is a day for prayer and reflection.
