Colorado Movie Theater Massacre: Gunman Kills 12 People
Early Friday morning in Aurora, Colorado a tragedy occurred. As excited fans of the of the new Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises” enjoyed the midnight showing, a gunman burst into the theater mid-show setting off smoke bombs and shooting wildly with up to four different guns.
The gunman has now been identified as PhD student James Holmes who had recently withdrew from his neuroscience studies at The University of Colorado. 71 people were shot and 12 people are now dead.. ABC News reports that Holmes was captured by police in the parking lot while still wearing a bullet-proof vest, riot helmet and gas mask. Shortly after, Holmes told police that he “boobytrapped” his apartment with explosives. Police have evacuated Holmes’ apartment complex and are searching the premises to make sure everything has been deactivated.
CNN reports, “Some people in the audience thought the thick smoke and gunfire were a special effect accompanying the movie.” A witness said, “I hit the floor and hid behind the seats in front of me, pulling my wife down to hide with me,” Witt said. “It was the longest minute of my life. The gunshots just kept coming. I knew it could be over any second. I knew my wife could be gone any second. It was absolutely surreal. I felt something hit my left arm, and my first thought was, ‘At least it’s just my arm.’”
Security has been heightened for “The Dark Knight Rises” premiere in NYC and the Paris premiere has been canceled. The producers of the movie have released a statement saying, “Warner Bros. and the filmmakers are 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.”
President Obama put aside his campaign for the presidency today and spoke about the tragedy as well. You can watch his remarks below. Our hearts go out to all who have been affected by this terrible shooting. Stay tuned for updates as they come in.
