Theater Terror

(Memphis) Armed guards, police cameras, and mothers right alongside their teens, you saw it all at the Malco  Paradiso Friday night.

After the terror at a different theater in Colorado Friday morning, some Memphis movie goers still expected more.

 ”I  expected to see cop cars rolling around but I’ve only seen one since I’ve been here.  Because of what happened I thought it would be super beefed up.”, said one fan of the new batman movie.

 Most said they expected the shooting to keep people away, instead they found sold out shows all night long.

“Its the movie of the summer, pretty excited got seven people with me and we’ve got to come back at 10:30 now.”, said members of the Newsome family.

It’s much different than the scene in Colorado, almost 24 hours after the mass shooting police were still removing bodies, and learning more about the gunmans plot.

 ”His apartment is booby trapped with various incendiary devices and apparent trip wires.” said Dan Oates, the police chief in the area.

Authorities say the gunman, James Holmes, set off loud music at midnight to draw police to his booby trapped apartment just four miles away.

Had the opened the door, the bombs would have drawn most officers there and away from this theater where the man dressed like the joker could make his getaway.

“Based on his behavior and based on planning that went into it, that he very likely is sitting back enjoying impact of the crime.”, said Mary Ellen O’Toole a former FBI profiler.

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MULTIMEDIA FROM KDVR:

Photo Gallery: Aurora theater shooting scene, suspect’s booby-trapped apartment …
Raw Video: Crowd exits Aurora theater after shooting …
YouTube Video: Scene outside Aurora theater shooting …
Raw Video: Witnesses say ‘bullets were flying through wall’ of Aurora theater …
Raw Audio: Police radio communications from Aurora theater shooting …
Raw Video: Morning Aurora Police press conference from theater shooting …
Raw Video: Emotional Aurora theater shooting witness describes seeing wounded children …
Social Media: Follow the public reaction online …
Raw Video: Witness says shooter ‘had the gun in my face’

UPDATES:

2:28 PM: Bunkley Air Force Base has confirmed that one of its four missing or injured service members has died.

2:18 PM: ABC’s Brian Ross reported earlier Friday that James Holmes might be a radical member of the Tea Party organization. ABC issued the following note retracting those statements:

“Editor’s Note: An earlier ABC News broadcast report suggested that a Jim Holmes of a Colorado Tea Party organization might be the suspect, but that report was incorrect. ABC News and Brian Ross apologize for the mistake, and for disseminating that information before it was properly vetted.”

2:04 PM: A statement from the department of defense reports that one sailors has been injured, along with two airmen at the Aurora theater shooting. A fourth service member known to be at the theater is unaccounted for.

1:57PM: James Holmes did purchase the weapons he used in the attack legally, though he did not have a permit to carry concealed weapons. Also, Holmes is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 8 a.m. Monday.

1:42 PM: More information from the Medical Center of Aurora: The hospital has just received three additional patients. The Center does not currently have status on these three patients, but hope to provide that information shortly.

1:25 PM: According to the Associated Press, a federal law enforcement official said suspect James Holmes first bought a ticket to the movie, and then is believed to have propped open an exit door in the theater as the movie was playing. He slipped out midway through the showing, put on his ballistic gear and re-entered the theater.

1:00 PM: Shantyl Toledo, who posted one of the most trafficked YouTube video of victims on the scene of the Aurora theater shooting, emailed us and wanted to issue this apology. Apparently he’s taking quite a bit of heat for the video.

The apology featured many typos that we’ve tried to interpret and correct. This is the amended version that Toledo agrees captures the original intent of the letter:

“I would like to comment to the public stating my apology, if my shooting the video offended anyone. I just wanted to capture people’s fighting spirit at the scene. My heart goes out to families. I was in theater 16 and walked out of front door alive. Thank God.”

12:53 PM: Our Chris Parente has contacted all Denver-area cinemas. None are planning to cancel showings of “The Dark Knights Rises.” All are planning on having increased security on hand.

12:50 PM: Obama orders flags at half staff for the day in honor of Aurora movie theater shooting victims.

12:43 PM: Multiple coroner vehicles are arriving at the scene of the Aurora movie theater shooting.

12:41 PM: The Washington examiner is reporting that in the 1985 comic book, “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,” there is a scene in which a lunatic kills three people in a movie theater.

12:45 PM: CU Police are clearing some buildings on Anschutz Medical Campus as a robot is about to enter Holmes’ apartment, which is three blocks away from campus.

12:32 PM: We now have video of the 3-month-old who was released from University Hospitalthis morning — one of the few positive stories to come out on this tragic day.

12:24 PM: We’ve found that suspect, James Holmes was not licensed to carry firearms.

12:18 PM: All of the following information comes from Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates

• Suspect James Holmes, 24, of Aurora, had one traffic summons for speeding in 2011. Other than that, he had no prior criminal record.
• Within one hour of the shooting early Friday morning, there were approximately 25 officers on the scene who apprehended Holmes.
• There were eventually approximately 200 officers on the scene several hours later.
• Holmes was apprehended with three weapons: one was left inside the crime scene. On his person, Holmes had an AR-15 assault rifle, a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun and a 40-caliber Glock handgun. He had another 40-caliber Glock handgun in his car.
• The police have no capability of estimating the amount of shots fired. There were “many, many shots fired.”
• 71 people were shot — 12 are deceased. Two died at area hospitals, 10 died at the scene
• We are not looking for any other suspects, “we are confident that Holmes acted alone.’
• Some rounds penetrated into an adjoining theater — at least one person was struck by a bullet in the adjoining theater
• The suspect was dressed in all black, ballistic attire that included throat, hand and leg covering as well as head and chest protection.
• Anyone with additional information is being encourage to call a tip line at 303-739-1862. For those who feel traumatized, you can call a help line at 303-617-2300.
• The crime scene is large, and includes some cars in the parking lot. The police are working to get those cars released, but “we will be (at the crime scene) for some time.”
• Holmes’ Paris Street apartment is booby-trapped with trip wire, incendiary devices and chemical devises. Five buildings in the area have been evacuated.
• There were four showings of “The Dark Knight Rises” at the theater. All were sold out. Police interviewed close to 200 witnesses.
• Police are analyzing all social media — there are a lot of fake reports. Someone  called a national media station and said he was Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates.
• Police were on scene within a minute to a minute and a half of the first call and apprehended Holmes at that point.
• Aurora police often station off-duty officers at the theater. They were not there last night
• “We’re not going to get into why (Holmes) did what he did. We don’t have that information,” Oates said.
• “There is pretty significant evidence he used the assault rifle, shotgun and handgun in the theater,” Oates aid.
• Oates said that he used to work for the NYPD, but he would not comment on the NYPD report that Holmes was dressed as the Joker from the Batman franchise. “He was dressed as I described,” Oates said.

11:51 AM: Hickenlooper called the shooting an “act of a deranged mind,” in the Aurora Theater shooting press conference, which is streaming live now. We’ve also learned that the suspected gunman, James Holmes, may been dressed as the joker when he entered the theater last night.

11:46 AM: We now have a video interview with a man who was detained by Aurora Police in the Aurora Medical Center after he became enraged about the information that his 6-year-old child had been killed and his ex-wife had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. When told that the suspected gunman was still alive, the man said “hopefully not for long.”

10:46 AM: Mitt Romney, who also cancelled his campaign events Tuesday in New Hampshire, just issued a live statement. Here are a few of his comments.

“This morning, Colorado lost youthful voices,” Romney said. “There will be justice for those responsible. But that’s another matter for another day.”

Instead, Romney said he wanted to offer these words of comfort today: “Our prayer is that the Comforter will bring the peace to the souls (of the victims and their families) that surpasses their understanding. The Apostle Paul explains: Blessed be God, who comforts us in all our tribulations that we will be able to comfort them if they are in any trouble.”

10:27 AM: The death total has now been upgraded to 13 from 12. It had initially been reported at 14.

10:26 AM: Buckley Air Force Base confirms that the three casualties reported earlier by the Pentagon are actually injuries, not fatalities. No word on the further condition of those individuals.

10:22 AM: Of the 15 patients initially admitted to the Aurora Medical Center South, five are in critical condition. Call 303-873-5393 for a status of the patients at that location.

10:18 AM: We have now received confirmation that a 7-year-old has now been reported dead. In addition, we have learned that suspect James Holmes had no prior criminal record.

9:59 AM: We now have a 30-image photo gallery featuring everything from victims being treated on the scene to the suspects apartment and his riot gear to the plethora of police command posts that have been set up.

San Diego high school yearbook photo of suspect James Holmes

9:15 AM: CU-Denver Medical Campus said that suspected shooter was a student in the Fall of 2011. He was studying some form of neuroscience at the Medical Campus and withdrew in June.

9:11 AM: Police say they’ve evacuated 5 buildings near suspect James Holmes’ booby-trapped apartment. “It appears that’s sufficient at this time,” officials said. They continued to say “it could be hours, it could be days” until the apartment is ruled safe again.

9:06 AM: Police reports state the suspect in this shooting, James Holmes, moved to Colorado from San Diego to pursue a PhD. The owner of the booby-trapped apartment said that Holmes just moved in to his building.

8:58 AM: Aurora Police are saying that the third floor of James Holmes’ apartment is booby-trapped with sophisticated explosives. The entire building and surrounding area at 17th and Oswego have been evacuated.

8:53 AM: President Obama, speaking to crowd at campaign rally in Ft. Myers, Fla., offers condolences to victims’ families. He says, “There will be other days for politics. This, I think, is a day for prayer and reflection.” Obama and Romney campaigns also announce they will temporarily pull down TV ads out of respect to the victims.

8:47 AM: President Obama is speaking live now. Watch it here

8:33 PM: Morgan Freeman has released a statement via Twitter: “Deeply saddened to hear about the #theatershooting at the screen of The Dark Knight Rises. My prayers go out to the families and friends.”

8:29 PM: One of the confirmed dead, Jessica Refield, who interned here for a brief time at FOX31, wrote a blog post — now, a very chilling blog post — about narrowly escaping a deadly mall shooting in Toronto last month.

8:22 AM: Governor John Hickenlooper has released a statement.

“This is not only an act of extreme violence, it is also an act of depravity. It is beyond the power of words to fully express our sorrow this morning. Our prayers and condolences go first to the families of those killed, and we share the grief of everyone affected by this senseless event. We appreciate the swift work by local, state and federal law enforcement. Coloradans have a remarkable ability to support one another in times of crisis. This one of those times.”

8:12 AM: Children’s Hospital Colorado has received 6 victims — one child and five adults, ages 18 – 31 — from last night’s shooting at the Aurora movie theater. One patient has passed and the other five range in condition from good to critical.

8:09 AM: President Obama has cancelled his Florida campaign stop in response to the shooting.

8:02 AM: The Medical Center of Aurora received 15 patients. Call the medical Center at 303-873-5292 for information. The Center reported that 12 of the 15 patients have gunshot wounds. The three other patients had chemical exposure, and have been released. The University Hospital now has 23 patients.

7:59 AM: Watch the video of our interview with a witness who said the shooter pointed a gun in her face. She said most people in the theater initially thought the gunman was a prop — a part of the show.

7:50 AM: Of the 38 injured, nine are being reported in critical condition at University Hospital in Aurora and two are reported in critical condition at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood.

7:46 AM: We’re tracking the emotional response that’s pouring out via social media. For some of the tweets, click here.

7:40 AM: We reportedly earlier that a girl named Jessica Ghawi was reported dead along with Jessica Redfield. We’re now being told that this girl is the same person. Her mother tells us that Ghawi is her “birth name,” but that she” never went by that last name.” She always went by Redfield.

7:36 AM: Watch the emotional interview from witness Ben Fernandez, who was in theater 9, and said he saw one 12-year-old with two bullet wounds and others “covered in blood.”

7:11 AM: A 3-month-old victim was recently released from hospital. A father has confirmed his 6-year-old daughter was killed.

7:05 AM: Congressman Ed Perlmutter, whose district includes the area where this shooting took place, has just released a statement.

“I am stunned and furious at the news of the shooting at the Aurora Century 16 Movie theater this morning. Our heart and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims of this tragedy. Colorado is not a violent place, but we have some violent people. We are a strong and resilient community, and we will lean on each other in the days, weeks and months to come.”

6:58 AM: New photos of victims being treated on the scene can be found below. Also, President Obama will be addressing the shootings at his morning briefing at 9:20 a.m. this morning.

6:52 AM: The mother of suspect, James Holmes, is talking to ABC: “You have the right person,” she said, apparently speaking on gut instinct. “I need to call the police… I need to fly out to Colorado.”

6:47 AM: Refield’s friend is on the phone with us now on the live stream. Click here to watch.

6:42 AM: We are getting reports now that there are 38 confirmed wounded.

6:37 AM: The Premiere of the “The Dark Knight Rises” in Paris has been cancelled.

Jessica Redfield, a confirmed victim

6:36 AM: Our Melody Mendez is reporting that another one of the 12 dead is Jessica Refield, a native of Texas who moved to Colorado last year. She interned for FOX31 for a brief time. Mendez said she was a huge sports fan, who also interned for a Denver radio station.

6:29 AM: Continue to check the top of this post for our most recent multimedia. The most recent is updated footage of this morning’s press conference with Aurora Police.

6:26 AM: The new full statement from Mitt Romney addressing the shooting: “Ann and I are deeply saddened by the news of the senseless violence that took the lives of 15 people in Colorado and injured dozens more. We are praying for the families and loved ones of the victims during this time of deep shock and immense grief.  We expect that the person responsible for this terrible crime will be quickly brought to justice.”

6:15 AM: We’re now getting reports, according to scanner traffic, that a pregnant woman was shot in the chest. No further word on her condition.

6:07 AM: Pete Williams at NBC is sourcing two federal officials who are saying the name of the 24-year-old suspect in custody is James Holmes, of North Aurora.

6:00 AM: Very candid comments from Ben Fernandez, a witness who was in the theater. They will be up shortly.

5:58 AM: The identity of one girl killed in the attack has been released by a San Antonio TV station, KENS. That girl is Jessica Ghawi, a San Antonio native who has since moved to Colorado.

5:55 AM: Police say bodies of 10 victims are still at the crime scene inside the theater.

5:53 AM: Witness said “it was tear gas” that was used at the theater.

5:49 AM: Police originally said that there were 14 dead, that number has now changed to 12, per an Aurora Police press release. As of this moment, we have reports that some of the victims are as young as 12 years old.

Victims are tended to in the parking lot of an Aurora theater, where a mass shooting occurred during the premiere of “The Dark Night Rises,” July 20, 2012.

5:45 AM: Multiple police organization have responded, including the FBI and ATF. Suspect said he had two bombs — one in his home and one in his vehicle.

5:43 AM: The gunman reportedly was also wearing a riot helmet and a bullet proof vest when he was discovered at his car int he back of the theater. He was also wearing a gas mask and carrying a handgun, a shotgun and a rifle.

5:37 AM: Some of the vehicles at hospital are being reportedly treated for chemical exposure. We’re told that most of the treatment is for tear gas.

Reports say that many of the dead are children.

5:34 AM: Police say that a fire alarm was pulled by an employee, which was the only reason anyone began evacuating the theater.

5:31 AM: Police have evacuated residents at the apartment of 17th and Oswego in Aurora, which is expected to be the apartment of the suspect. The suspect alerted police he has some explosives in the apartment.

A comment from a witness on the scene: “They said bullets were flying through the wall.” Then, gesturing to her friend, the witness said, “the girl that was sitting next to her got hit in the jaw.”

The bullets coming through the wall into theater 8 came from theater 9, where the majority of the shooting occurred.

5:30 AM: Chief Dan Oats of the Aurora Police just made a few brief comments/

Oates said the suspect in custody “made a statement to us about explosive in his residence, beyond that I have nothing more to say” about the suspect’s motivations.

Oates also answered a question referring to the possibility that there was a second shooter involved in the crime: “We have not been able to confirm reports of a second person. We have no evidence to support that right now. We are obviously very concerned about that.”

5:28 AM: The Red Cross is staffing an evacuation center at Gateway High School in Aurora with four mental health workers and a mobile feeding vehicle to help care for about 100 people who were evacuated from the scene.

5:26 AM: We’re told that the attack took place during a shooting scene in the movie, Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has also issued a brief statement: “Anne and I are deeply saddened praying for families and loved ones of the victims.”

5:20 AM: President Obama has issued a statement from a campaign event in Florida.

His comments: “Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado. Federal and local law enforcement are still responding, and my Administration will do everything we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time.

“We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family.

“All of us must have the people of Aurora in our thoughts and prayer as they confront the loss of family, friends and neighbors, and we must stand together with them in the challenging hours and days to come.”

5:15 AM: The death toll is still standing at 14, according to Aurora Police, but police are now saying “at least” 50 people are injured. It has been reported that 10 of those 14 people died inside the theater, with four dying later at area hospitals.

A 24-year-old white male is said to have used homemade explosives in the attack. He was arrested with a shotgun, a handgun and a rifle in his possession, and he was wearing a gas mask.

If you suspect you had a loved one at the theater, call 303-739-6000 for more information. This is not an information line, but rather a line to check on possible victims of this shooting.

4:33 AM: AURORA, Colo. — At least 14 people were killed and 50 more injured in a mass shooting during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” at an Aurora movie theater Friday.

It happened shortly after midnight at the Century 16 Movie Theaters just east of the Town Center at Aurora shopping mall near E. Mississippi Ave. and I-225.

Witnesses said the gunman came into the front of theater #9, threw a canister that released smoke, and then opened fire. people first thought the gunfire was part of the movie.

At least one person was in custody. It wasn’t known if there were more suspects. Witnesses were taken to nearby Gateway High School for questioning.