"The Joker" shoots up theatre at Batman premier

**~~DeletePlease~~** · 07-23-2012 04:27 AM

A gunman in a gas mask hurled a gas canister and opened fire in a sold-out Colorado theatre during a midnight showing of the new Batman movie Friday, killing 12 people and injuring 59 in one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history.

When the smoke began to spread, some moviegoers thought it was a stunt that was part of "The Dark Knight Rises," one of the most highly anticipated films of the summer. Then they saw a silhouette of a person in the smoke at the front of the theatre, pointing a gun at the crowd.

"There were bullet (casings) just falling on my head. They were burning my forehead," Jennifer Seeger said, adding that the gunman, dressed like a SWAT team member, fired steadily except when he stopped to reload.

"Every few seconds it was just boom, boom, boom," Seeger said. "He would reload and shoot and anyone who would try to leave would just get killed."

The shooter was arrested shortly after the attack, and law enforcement officials identified him as 24-year-old citizen and neuroscience graduate student James Holmes.

Authorities did not release a motive. The FBI said there was no indication the shooting was tied to any terrorist groups.

The shooting immediately brought memories of the massacre at nearby Columbine High School in 1999, where two students opened fire and killed 12 classmates and a teacher. Friday's attack was the worst mass shooting in the U.S. since an Army psychiatrist killed 13 soldiers and civilians at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009.

Holmes wore body armour, used an assault rifle, a shotgun and a Glock handgun, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said. He said investigators are confident the gunman acted alone.

In New York City, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said: "It clearly looks like a deranged individual. He has his hair painted red. He said he was the Joker, obviously the enemy of Batman."

Oates would not confirm that information, but confirmed he had spoken to Kelly. The two used to work together in New York.

FBI agents and police also discovered Holmes' apartment was booby trapped. Authorities evacuated five buildings as they determined how to disarm flammable and explosive material.

"It's something I've never seen before," Oates said.

While some witnesses said the gunman entered through a sidedoor emergency exit at the front of the theatre, a federal law enforcement official said the suspect bought a ticket and went into the theatre as part of the crowd. He is believed to have propped open an exit door as the movie was playing, put on protective ballistic gear and opened fire. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Authorities said 10 bodies were still in the theatre Friday afternoon. Some of the injured were children, with the youngest a 4-month-old baby who has been released from treatment. Victims were being treated for chemical exposure apparently related to canisters thrown by the gunman.

The Pentagon said some military members were either killed or wounded. Aurora is home to a large Defence Department satellite intelligence operation at Buckley Air Force Base.

Holmes was studying neuroscience in a Ph.D. program at the University of Colorado-Denver graduate school, university spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery said. University officials earlier said he was a student at the university's medical school.

Holmes was in the process of withdrawing at the time of the shootings, Montgomery said.

Police released a written statement from Holmes' family: "Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved."

A man who lives next door to the family said Holmes seemed to be shy. Tom Mai said the mother told him Holmes couldn't find a job after earning a master's degree from a public university in California.

"The Dark Knight Rises" opened across the world Friday, but the shooting prompted officials to cancel the Paris premiere, with workers pulling down the red carpet display at a theatre on the famed Champs-Elysees Avenue. Two police officers were stationed outside the AMC theatre in New York's Times Square.

"Warner Bros. and the filmmakers are 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 said.

President Barack Obama said he was saddened by the "horrific and tragic shooting," and he cut short campaigning to return to the White House.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of sympathy Friday to Obama. "I was saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life earlier today in Denver, Colorado. Prince Philip joins me in extending our heartfelt sympathy to you and the people of America at this time," the British monarch said in a note sent to the White House.

In Washington, the Department of Homeland Security held a conference call with officials from the commercial, entertainment and shopping mall industries to discuss what security measures they could take in the future.

Moviegoers spoke of their terror as violence erupted.

The gunman released a gas that smelled like pepper spray from a green canister with a tag on it, Seeger said.

"I thought it was showmanship. I didn't think it was real," she said.

Seeger said she was in the second row when the gunman pointed a gun at her face. At first, "I was just a deer in headlights. I didn't know what to do," she said. Then she ducked to the ground as the gunman shot people seated behind her.

She said she began crawling toward an exit when she saw a girl about 14 years old "lying lifeless on the stairs." She saw a man with a bullet wound in his back and tried to check his pulse, but "I had to go. I was going to get shot."

Witness Shayla Roeder said she saw a young teenage girl on the ground bleeding outside the theatre. "She just had this horrible look in her eyes .... We made eye contact and I could tell she was not all right," Roeder said.

Read more: 'He said he was the Joker'

'He said he was The Joker'

"The Joker" planned shooting for months | theSundaily

**Original Poster** · 07-23-2012 04:31 AM

(puts the following joke into a time capsule so it won't be opened for 22.3 years)

Good thing there isn't a Batman 4 planned, I shutter at the thought of a Bane impersonator

**~~Alyzarin~~** · 07-23-2012 04:39 AM

Thanks for posting this. I actually hadn't been able to find much on the original story, just updates.

This is just sick... I almost couldn't finish reading the article. What the hell is wrong with some people?

**SpaceCowboyDave** · 07-23-2012 05:38 AM

Other than the obvious tragic loss of life, I find this particularly enraging because the joker was my favorite character in the dark night and I used to quote him all the time and act out some of his dialog.

**Supernova** · 07-23-2012 10:14 PM

He's not the Joker. Silly bastard. The Joker has henchmen.

**Seroquel** · 07-23-2012 10:33 PM

**spockman** · 07-24-2012 04:10 AM

Originally Posted by Seroquel

It makes you wonder if anybody noticed his behavior getting more and more erratic the months leading up to this horrible event. The whole idea is just terrifying.

**Darkmatters** · 07-24-2012 05:19 AM

Actully he looked more like Bane, didn't he?

What I'm wondering is, how did an unemployed student afford all this gear? Seems like it would run into tens of thousands all considered.

**Original Poster** · 07-24-2012 05:48 AM

CIA operation, obviously.

**mdspencer68** · 07-24-2012 09:04 PM

If I remember correctly, this guy entered through the emergency exit. What baffles me is why didn't that trigger an alarm. I don't recall any of the witnesses saying that an alarm went off. I mean, don't all emergency exits cause an alarm when opened? I have been scratching my head about this ever since I heard about this.

**Sornaensis** · 07-24-2012 09:30 PM

No, there are exits at the front of theaters that go outside. Why would that set off an alarm.

**mdspencer68** · 07-25-2012 06:35 PM

The reason why I mentioned that was they said it was an emergency exit.

**Abra** · 07-25-2012 06:47 PM

Luckily mass starvation and the AIDS epidemic in other countries have desensitized me to gimmicky loss of life such as this.

**Original Poster** · 07-25-2012 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by mdspencer68

The reason why I mentioned that was they said it was an emergency exit.

Many theatres turn the alarm off during movies so people can exit directly from the theatre without setting off the alarm. These are supposed to be locked from the outside but it's possible he bought a ticket, entered the theatre, stuck a wedge in the door, collected his equipment and returned.

**mdspencer68** · 07-25-2012 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by Original Poster

Many theatres turn the alarm off during movies so people can exit directly from the theatre without setting off the alarm.

Oh, okay. I didn't know that.

Originally Posted by Original Poster

These are supposed to be locked from the outside but it's possible he bought a ticket, entered the theatre, stuck a wedge in the door, collected his equipment and returned.

Yeah, that's possible.

**Zhaylin** · 07-25-2012 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Original Poster

CIA operation, obviously.

I'm sure you're joking but my hubby and others are calling this a False Flag attack.
I must admit that the story sounds very hinky. He bought all that gear to murder unarmed people in the theater yet peacefully surrendered to the police? He rigged his apartment to massively explode, yet gave away his plan?
Yeah, insane people rarely make sense, but his plan took MONTHS to prepare. There was a method in his madness and the way it ended just doesn't add up.
But anyway you look at it, I'm glad he didn't follow through with his plan to the end. The loss of life could have been much, much worse.

And now people are trying to figure out his appearance in Court. They say he looks drugged or sleep deprived. Personally, I think he looks bored and a little exasperated (as in, "why are they still talking", "why isn't this over yet?")

Me, my hubby and his daughter watched the movie in our local theater the next day. It briefly occurred to me that we were sitting in the worlds worst place if someone attacked, but the thought disappeared quickly.
In our theater (and most others I presume), the seating is somewhat divided by a lower and upper level. We sat at that divide where people in wheel chairs and stuff can sit. There were no seats immediately in front of us.
There was also some light getting through the emergency exit and hubby wondered if the door was propped open or the door bent. The door was bent.
But it's sad that some people will now consider such things when doing something as innocent as going to the movies!!

Oh yeah. I haven't been following the story very closely, but they say he placed his weapons outside that emergency door, bought a ticket then went in as all the other movie goers. But then he propped the door open, went back outside and got into his armor then shot up the place. If I'm following correctly, he was parked outside, near that exit. When the cops arrived, he was at his car and he just laid down his weapons.

My son heard that a person (or people ?) are now suing the theater, Warner Bros and someone else (I've forgotten). I don't know how I feel about that. Well, suing anyone except the theater I adamantly oppose, but what about the theater? That's what I have mixed feelings about.
Could they have done anything to stop the attack? Would having alarms on the Emergency Exits have stopped the attack? What more could they have done? It's not as if they could have foreseen something like this happening!!

**Original Poster** · 07-25-2012 10:08 PM

Suing Warner Bros is just ridiculous. I'm sure it will be argued that he was inspired by joker, but we all know how asinine that is. As Oscar Wilde said, "An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all." What are we supposed to do, outlaw movies featuring violent and unhinged characters because then unhinged people will act violent? I'm sure some crackpot litigator came up with the idea because they'll go for anything they can, but I hope the case gets thrown out. There's no one here to sue. Lawsuits won't bring back the dead, and in this case it's no one's fault that this happened (except the CIA).

**ZeraCook** · 07-25-2012 10:37 PM

Yeah I've been hearing a lot of the false flag policy ideas going around. at first I was like naw, but the more I see the more I wonder. Like the Lil Wayne Video released two days before where at one scene it shows him in a theatre with some of his homies and twelve dead skeletons, but a lil later it flashes and shows more but then goes back to the twelve. Plus like its been pointed out how did an unemployed student afford all that, I'm Unemployed and I can barely afford food to survive. Also there are alot of documents, released by the U.S. Government, that show how to get a patsy which kind of person to get, and James Holmes fits the description, and how to drug them and get them to confess. But If This is A False Flag Policy the real question is why? What would they stand to gain? Was this a group of the targets on Obamas Hit List made for the 2012 National Defence Authorisation Act coming into play? I also love how If I type in temporal Illusions into my search engine all that pops up are Videos of James Holmes. Nothing else about what temporal Illusions actually are or how they might relate to making him go crazy.

In the end I still feel bad about the people who were shot. I say this now because I have seen people get mad at others already on the internet for saying that it was, because they think that its disrespectful to the dead, Honestly though it isn't any more disrespectful then trying to solve a mysterious death where no one can tell if its suicide or homicide. Alot of signs are pointing to a false flag attack, I wonder what other maybe coincidences might pop up.

**ZeraCook** · 07-25-2012 10:56 PM

Also maybe I don't like how biased the news was when I first found out about this. They were like, "Some of his peers say that they think he could do it because He was a Young man, Kept Mostly to himself, Never talked much unless around people he has known for awhile."
They described me. I could be a suspect off of what they say.

Then the next clip was like "a reporter confronted his mom the next day before she knew that he was taken in and asked, 'are you james holmes mother' she replied 'you have the right person' So it seems the family might have known he was up to something"
Really???? cause it sounds to me like when she said you have the right person she was saying yes I am the mother of james homes the right person you were looking for.

Then it went on to say how non of the witnesses could see the man through the stuff he was wearing at has a list of what the suspects identified him as wearing, and literally goes on to name very technically the type of body armour he was wearing the type of gun he had and how many magazines/clips he had for his guns.

Alot of detail from witnesses who were being shot at, I honestly don't think I would have been able to identify the models and makes if I had been there as a witness.

**nina** · 07-25-2012 11:01 PM

Coming Sooon...To a Theater Near You! .........

What...you don't think they will?

**ZeraCook** · 07-25-2012 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by nina

Coming Sooon...To a Theater Near You! .........

What...you don't think they will?

Its only gonna get more and more like this especially in america.

**Zhaylin** · 07-25-2012 11:33 PM

Yeah, dead is dead. I'm sorry about the loss of life. I'm sorry about the nightmares the survivors and survivors family and friends will suffer. But the story just doesn't add up. As in the Rants thread, this is a common problem for me.
I feel strongly that something is not right. But I'll continue to ignore it. I'm not educated enough in politics, history or conspiracies to guess at the truth.
Hubby says, ultimately, the government wants to get rid of our (US Citizens) guns. An attack such as this gets a LOT of media attention and hype. People are outraged and calling for better control, fewer to no guns for private citizens... But the citizens are just handing over their rights for perceived peace and security.

I don't even know where I stand on gun control. A lot of people make very good arguments for both sides.
There's individual rights and freedoms versus the greater good. But a lot can be justified in the name of the "greater good".

**ZeraCook** · 07-25-2012 11:48 PM

Well the thing for me is, If the Us Citizens lose gun rights, our government doesn't, and it is the government trying to take them away, and also Criminals who smuggle guns, because there already are some, you have to register when you get a gun and pass checks, and the people who are really planning to use them to harm and cause evil just smuggle them anyways. But this is gonna lead to a crackdown on our guns, which means no equipped militia. Maybe even more public checkpoints.

Another thing of interest for me is I live in montana, and in the contract where we became an official part of the U.S. it states if our gun rights are taking away we are no longer officially a State.

**Abra** · 07-25-2012 11:54 PM

Also, the discussion of this event only serves to propagate the motivation of others like him. He did this as a stunt, he did this to look cool and maybe clever in the public eye. And we're giving him the glory, the time of day on our headlines, our broadcasts, our community forums. Others with seeds of hate will see this and learn from it: what gets the most attention, what tragedies could be horrifically improved.

**Zhaylin** · 07-26-2012 12:10 AM

Very interesting, Zera! I think it will take many, MANY more such tragedies before the guns can be taken from the people. As it is, there will be way too much resistance and rebellion and much more violence.

Abra, that is true... but closing our eyes and our mouths wont change what happened. Like OP said, are we to stop producing violent movies or music or books. How about cartoons? Someone, somewhere can read or watch anything and come up with disastrous schemes.
Yeah, we will probably NEVER figure out what the killers motives were. And no, it doesn't really matter what they were in the long run. No excuse is appropriate or excusable if everything is as it seems- that Holmes just murdered and wounded people because he felt like it.

But by discussing events as these we may become more aware. Is everything as it would appear? Is anyone else responsible or partially responsible. IF this is a False Flag attack, what are the motives? What do we, the people, need to watch out for?
Also, if Holmes worked alone etc- what is the rest of the story (that we might actually discover)? He dropped out of school before ordering everything. Did he have some sort of break down. If he did, was there any warning signs to learn from so something similar doesn't happen in the future? He could be absolutely insane, but I feel he would still need to be accountable. I don't even accept insanity as an excuse. But lets learn SOMETHING from the senselessness of it all :/