Friday, July 20, 2012

Carnage at Batman movie premiere

A shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., left at least 14 people dead and around 50 more wounded, July 20, 2012. 

Updated at 5:49 a.m. Eastern

(CBS/AP) AURORA, Colo. - At least 14 people were killed and dozens more injured by a gunmen who allegedly began his attack on Denver area movie-goers by hurling tear gas into the crowd at a Batman "The Dark Knight Rises" premiere around midnight on Thursday, police say.

Aurora police chief Dan Oats confirmed the death toll of at least 14, saying a total of about 50 people had been shot. It wasn't clear if the fatalities were included in the casualty count of 50. The were victims from a broad range of ages. Oats said one suspect, found outside the theater after the shooting, near the parking lot, had been taken into in custody. He said there were no other suspects being sought. Oats said a gas mask and at least one rifle and a handgun were found on the suspect. Oats said the suspect informed officers that he had explosives in his home, which was in the local area. There was no suggestion of links to international terrorism.
Colorado movie theater shooting(Credit: AP)
An amateur video posted to Youtube (scroll down to see) showed people walking around outside the theater, allegedly in the moments after the incident. One man was seen wearing a shirt that appeared to be bloodstained. He was being led by a police officer. Some people could be heard shouting, but the video showed a Calls to police about the shooting started coming in about 12:30 a.m. Friday from a the Century Aurora 16 mall theater that was showing the Batman movie. Paul Otermat, who told Sky News he was in the theater when the incident occurred, said he "thought it was a publicity stunt," when he saw a man in a long coat walk in and hurl what he believed was a tear gas canister at the crowd. "Then he started firing shots into the crowd," Otermat said. He says he and his girlfriend ducked to the floor and crept out as gunfire continued. "My girlfriend saw a canister on the ground that was still foaming... We ran through the lobby and we heard more shots, and we ran out into the parking lot and got into our car and left."