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AURORA POLICE DEPARTMENT
DATE: July 20, 2012
CONTACT: Officer Frank Fania, PIO (303)739-6022
NATURE: Theater Shooting
CASE NUMBER: 12-28181Aurora, Colo. – Aurora Police are investigating a shooting at the Century 16 Movie Theater, located at 14300 E Alameda Ave, involving approximately 50 victims with at least 12 confirmed dead. On July 20, 2012, at about 12:39 a.m., police received numerous calls of the shooting. Officers arrived on scene moments after the first calls and arrested one party at the rear of the theater.
Police were told the suspect “appeared” at the front of one of the theaters, threw some type of gas or explosive device and started shooting.
When the suspect was arrested, police recovered one rifle, one handgun and a gas mask. A third gun is still inside the theater. The suspect is an adult male Aurora resident in his early twenties. He offered no resistance when he was arrested. At this time, the police have no evidence that any additional suspects were involved other than the person arrested.
The Police Department can confirm that 12 persons are deceased, with the bodies of 10 victims still at the crime scene inside the theater. At least two more victims died at area hospitals. The Police Department previously released a preliminary number of 14 dead, but only 12 can be confirmed at this time. Approximately 50 total persons were shot, including the deceased.
Victims were transported to at least six area hospitals. Many were rushed immediately to hospitals in police cars by responding officers. The injured and dead include a wide age range. The conditions of the injured also vary, with some suffering very serious wounds.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting in this investigation. Officers and deputies responded from almost every local police and sheriffs’ department in the metropolitan area.
Police are using Gateway High School, located at 1300 S. Sable Blvd., as a meeting location for family members seeking to reunite with loved ones.
Aurora Police will hold a press conference at approximately 11:00 a.m., Mountain Standard Time, to provide further information. The location will likely be outside the theater where the shooting occurred but the location may be changed.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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This is just awful. This isn’t funny but the first thing I said to someone this morning when I found out, was this shooting thing was so choatic; like the movies. That’s what the last one was about and this one. Why do we do this in our country?
such a senseless tragedy… why are there still ten bodies inside the theater? so sad
They will leave them there as part of the investigation. Police procedure.
Couldn’t read this without tears in my eyes. My heart goes out to all the victims and families.
So at what point do we finally admit that guns kill people, too?
How about the fact that it was a person they arrested and not a walking/talking gun. A Human being pulled the triggger and pointed the weapon, the gun didnt do that itself.
Get a Clue.
Joe, please point to one incident where a gun, in and by itself, was responsible for killing anyone. I would love to read about that physics-defying moment. Just make sure that the incident was truly the gun that did the killing, and that no human had anything to do with choosing to handle, aim, and pull the trigger in the least.
I look forward to learning more about this incredible development.
Now’s a good time…1,200 people have been shot by guns this year alone in Chicago. Most of THOSE guns, however, were gotten illegally, so no one cares. Oh, and the victims were mostly black (and no, they were not all gang bangers).
Thanks for using spilled blood to push an agenda. Nice.
Of course because no way could he have gotten a gun if they were illegal…
So ignorant – a gun needs a person to pull the trigger. Should we outlaw all fertilizer because bombs kill people?
Gun while a weapon are only as dangerous as the person using them. Take away guns, people will use bombs, take away bombs, people will use knives, take away knives…….and so on.
He didn’t do it alone. Without the roads and bridges he never would have gotten to the theater.
The GUNS didn’t kill anyone, a mentally unstable man did.
Hey morons; fertilizer, box cutters and extra sharp pieces of paper can all be used to kill people, but they’re also used millions of times a year for their intended, mostly harmless purposes. No one but conservative gun nuts is stupid enough to suggest that everything that could conceivably be used as a weapon should be banned; where would we put all of the rocks? But guns, particularly handguns, have only one purpose, to kill something. People don’t pound nails by shooting at them, and they don’t dig holes with machine guns (although, that sounds like fun).
So the idea of putting something intended to kill people into the hands of anybody with a driver’s license (which, I’m sure you know, has no psych profile requirements) is pretty obviously going to lead to things like today’s shooting, Columbine, Virginia Tech, etc. If you don’t allow guns to get to the nutjobs who want to kill people, then perhaps – and I know I’m going out on a limb here – perhaps they won’t be able to kill people, or at least not as efficiently.
Since your whole debate style seems to revolve around carrying concepts to their illogical extremes, then I suppose you’re in favor of selling anthrax over the counter at Walmart. Because really, anthrax doesn’t kill people, people who release anthrax kill people.
And the whole argument that if more people had guns, this would have been instantly defused is just as absurd. Do you really think that a raging firefight in a crowded theatre is likely to minimize the damage? It’s not like everybody (or in fact, virtually anybody) who carries a gun is a one-shot-one-kill sniper. Twice as many bullets would have been flying randomly around, probably killing or wounding twice as many people. Why do you idiots believe that giving a gun to even a well-intentioned average citizen suddenly turns him into an efficient killing machine for Good?
Guns do not equal freedom. Guns equal death. Thanks for once again pointing that out, Joe. And thanks to all of you pro-gun respondents for once again pointing out how America is rushing back to the Stone Age.
Joe, you’re an idiot. If someone in the audience had a gun, this could have been lessened.
Great, a gun battle in the dark, with tear gas going off and the gun owner blasting away while wearing the only gas mask in the place. keep your fantasy of a gun fight on the main street of a western town out of this real world disaster. Do you gun apologists even think before you click send?
Obviously, you don’t. Go hide in your recycle can and ignore common sense!
Guns only kill people if there is someone behind it with the intent to kill. However, I agree that something needs to be done
This is such a tragedy, but sorry guns don’t kill people. It’s idiots with head problems that kill people.
Hey Joe…. A couple of box cutters took down the WTC. What’s your point? If it’s that anything can be used to injure and kill other people, you’re spot on.
True, but guns make it way too easy. The simple fact is that in the 21st century your average citizen does not need a gun. Doesn’t matter if it’s their right to bear arms. Anyone still clinging to that phrase belongs in the 1700′s.
A knife is not going to gun down 50 people in a short 10 minute time. People can take down a person with a knife, you can’t take down a gun man so easily with bullets flying every direction. Guns can kill a large amount of people in a short period reason other countries outlaw them. The casualties are always on a large scale.
Reading all the comments here where people are defending guns makes me very glad I don’t live in the USA. If anyone wonders why there are so many murders there, look no further. I’m more frightened by these people than the actual shooter. It’s like the whole country is locked in a version of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”.
Armchair speculators. If you have some serious combat training, then, yes, it’s possible that someone could have stopped him with a handgun…that is if you weren’t choking your eyes out from the gas, and being trampled by terrified people scrambling over you. If you could get a clear shot at him, and penetrate his full body armor. Remember, he had an AR-15, a 12 gauge shotgun and a .40 caliber pistol. Lottsa luck John Wayne. Likely, one person with a gun would not have stopped him. I have nothing against citizens carrying guns(except assault weapons) for protection, but this is a weak argument for gun control.
You’re all idiots. Why are you debating firearms philosophies three mouse scrolls below a report of murdered victims. I would voice my opinion of firearm use, however I have the decency and class to know that here is not an appropriate place. Kindly remove your heads from your sphincters and gain the big picture here. Today America suffered a great loss. God be with those affected.
This is truly tragic. A lot of talk about guns. Remember that 5 knives started 911. The fact that the news even displays his name at all, ever, is tragic. the gunman wants to be martyred. The fame and notoriety of killing so many people, and injuring 50 in his mind, is a sick little reward.
I believe in the right to bear arms. I also don’t live in the metro areas. Also, most of the people in my community can take down a running deer with one shot. I know people that shoot a thousand rounds of ammo in a month for recreation. In my community, if this guy would have attempted this, he would realize that he faces a random 25 people with conceal carry permits in a theater that holds 200 people. Mental illness aside, a guy would have to know that this would be suicide. The cops would not even make it in time to clean up.
I know, bullets flying everywhere. But my thought is most of the bullets would be going towards the gunman, and from most of the 25 people. The headline might read, “Gunman and two others killed as he gasses theater”.
I agree with the First Amendment, the Right to Bear Arms. But there has to be some changes to stop bad people from getting notoriety from mass killings in theaters, schools, malls, and post offices.