Aurora Police Dept. Sgt. Cassidee Carlson announces a three-phase plan to enter shooting suspect James Eagan Holmes' apartment.
By Miguel Llanos, NBC News
Fearing the Aurora, Colo., apartment of mass shooting suspect James Eagan Holmes is booby-trapped, officials will shortly send in a robot as part of a plan that could lead to controlled detonations, an Aurora Police Department spokesperson told reporters early Saturday.
"We're hoping to get in there within the next hour," Sgt. Cassidee Carlson said at around 8 a.m. local time (10 a.m. ET).
Officials will first try to deactivate a trip wire, she said, adding that "we have no idea how long this will take."
"The most immediate threat is the trip wire, the booby-trap that we've been talking about," she said. "That may also include a controlled detonation, that may cause a loud boom. There may also be a fire that erupts at that point."
"We're going to be very cautious," she added, because "we don't want to lose" any evidence.
"There are still unknowns," she said, referring to the possibility of a fire or explosions that are not controlled. "We're not exactly sure of everything that's in there."
One or more specialists might be sent into the apartment after the robot makes a first pass, she said.
LIVE VIDEO — Authorities in Aurora, Colorado, prepare to enter the apartment of suspected movie theater gunman James Eagan Holmes.
Any undetonated explosives will be taken in trucks lined with sand to take the impact of any explosion, she said, adding that some 30 aerial shells are among the items detected inside the apartment on Friday.
Earlier Saturday, streets around the building were cleared and unattended vehicles towed away.
Local residents were contacted and Carlson said officials were "confident in our evacuations at this point."
On Friday, other tenants in the apartment building cleared out, taking with them a few belongings, NBC's Miranda Leitsinger reported from Aurora.
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