A heavily armed gunman opened fire in a crowded movie theater during the midnight screening of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ at the Century 16 Theaters in Aurora, Colorado early this morning.
According to Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates, at least 12 people were killed and 58 more were injured during the late night massacre. Ten of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene while others died after being transported to area hospital emergency rooms.
Police arrested James Holmes, a 24-year-old man who was wearing a gas mask, helmet and full body armor as he attempted to get into his car in a rear parking lot of the movie complex.
A swat team and bomb squad searched his car as well as the suspects home. They confiscated four legally purchased rifles and handguns and 6,000 round of ammunition that he bought on the internet. Three of the weapons were used in the theater massacre.
The chaos started when the gunman kicked in an emergency exit door and threw a smoke bomb into the theater before opening fire in the packed space. Many in the theater initially thought that it was a publicity stunt as part of the premiere.
Hundreds of officers responded, many loading people directly into their squad cars for transport to area hospitals. The FBI has joined the investigation.
The scene of this mass shooting is 13 miles from the site of the April 1999 Columbine High School massacre.
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Check out two video reports, including cell phone camera footage below:
Photo: Video Screen Grab