Batman fans piled into Century 16 Movie Theater in Aurora CO, a suburb of Denver, at midnight today eager to see the first screenings of the new movie, the Dark Knight Rises. However their excitement was put to a sudden stop when a gunman, armed with three weapons, opened fire on the audience, killing at least 12 and leaving at least 50 wounded.
Police have identified the shooter as 24-year-old James Holmes. He was arrested in the parking lot behind the theater and was said to have a rifle, handgun, and gas mask on him.
“He did not resist. He did not put up a fight,” police spokesman Frank Fania told CNN. Police later found another gun inside the theater.
The attack began when the gunman entered the theater through an emergency exit door and tossed a can of tear gas into the crowd. Holmes then proceeded to open fire, shooting randomly into the terrified audience as he moved throughout the theater.
“There were so many people running,” CNN iReporter Adam Witt said, adding that it took a few gunshots for him to figure out what was going on. “I just remember getting up from the floor and shouting, ‘We have to run.’”
A witness who was watching the movie in another theater told CNN affiliate KUSA: “I saw a girl who was pretty much covered in blood. It made me think the worst. A cop came walking through the front door before everyone was cleared up and before everything was completely under control holding a little girl in his arms, and she wasn’t moving.”
A cell phone video shows the disturbing scene outside of Century 16. As people fled the building, some in bloodstained shirts, others screamed, “Get out of here!”
Most victims are being treated at the University of Colorado Hospital. The hospital said that the wounded range from 3 months to 45-years-old.
In a statement, Warner Bros., the studio behind the Dark Knight Rises, said: “Warner Bros. is 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.”
The studio has cancelled the film’s Paris premiere tonight, as well as all cast interviews related to the movie’s opening.