Gunman shot dead 10 people at dark night premiere

[Vincent Vega]

The young man who is in custody after allegedly gunning down 12 people in a mass shooting spree overnight in Aurora, Colorado has been identified as local resident James Holmes, according to federal authorities.

Law enforcement officials and witnesses told ABC News Holmes, 24, wore what appeared to be a bullet-proof vest and riot-type mask as he opened fire in a movie theater with three weapons at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." In addition to the 12 deaths, at least 50 people were injured, according to police.

A San Diego woman who identified herself as James Holmes' mother told ABC News she had awoken unaware of the shooting and had not yet been contacted by authorities. She immediately expressed concern that her son may have been involved.

"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."

Local news reports showed aerial video of police cautiously searching Holmes' apartment, some five miles from the Century Aurora 16 theater, as the suspect reportedly told police he had explosives inside.

ABC News

Police search the car of suspect, James... View Full Size

'Batman' Movie Shooting: At Least 12 Dead at Colorado Theater Watch Video

'Batman' Shooting: Scene at Movie Theater Watch Video

Batman Movie Shooting Witness from Colorado Theater: 'It Was Hard to Breathe' Watch Video

Witnesses said that the man appeared at the front of the theater about 20 minutes into the movie with a rifle, handgun and gas mask. He then threw a canister that released some kind of gas, after which a hissing sound ensued, and he then opened fire on the crowd packed into the early-morning screening of the film.

"We were maybe 20 or 30 minutes into the movie and all you hear, first you smell smoke, everybody thought it was fireworks or something like that, and then you just see people dropping and the gunshots are constant," witness Christ Jones told ABC's Denver affiliate KMGH. "I heard at least 20 to 30 rounds within that minute or two."

A man who talked to a couple who was inside the theater told ABC News, "They got up and they started to run through the emergency exit, and that when she turned around, she said all she saw was the guy slowly making his way up the stairs and just firing at people, just picking random people."

"The gunshot continued to go on and on and then after we didn't hear anything," the couple told the man. "We finally got up and there was people bleeding, there was people obviously may have been actually dead or anything, and we just ran up out of there, there was chaos everywhere."

The FBI said approximately 100 of its agents are on the scene assisting with the ongoing investigation.

ABC News' Clayton Sandell and Kevin Dolack contributed to this report.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/aurora-dark-knight-shooting-suspect-identified-james-holmes/story?id=16818889#.UAllSrQV2HM

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/the-dark-knight-rises-sparked-death-threats-to-critics-7961955.html

Director Christopher Nolan apparently had misgivings about returning to the Batman story, but he can’t have imagined the extremity of the reactions The Dark Knight Rises would provoke, even before the events in Denver.

Reviewers who criticised the film as overly dark and ponderous have been “flamed” in online forums and faced death threats. Reviews website Rotten Tomatoes had to shut down its comment section for the first time since it launched in 1999.

The film’s real or suspected use of political themes and imagery has been probed. Bane, the villain of the piece played by Tom Hardy, describes himself as a terrorist and uses bombs to disable Gotham. He wears a brutalist mask and is prone to rabble-rousing speeches.

Right-wing US commentator Rush Limbaugh saw in his name a coded attack on the former company of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Bain Capital.

Absurd, given the comic-book character was created in 1999 by “lifelong conservative” Chuck Dixon. As has been noted before, you can’t get a more Right-wing hero than Batman, billionaire businessman/vigilante.

In the film there are echoes of the Occupy Wall Street protests, and a subplot involves Bruce Wayne’s attempt to create clean energy, and an attendant warning about the dangers of nuclear power. But the Batman films and comics deploy political themes for dramatic rather than overtly partisan effect.

Meanwhile, the debate over whether violent films incite violence is ongoing, but direct links are almost impossible to prove. Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers was accused of inspiring copycat killings. After media claims that A Clockwork Orange had inspired copycat crimes on its 1971 release, director Stanley Kubrick withdrew it from circulation in Britain.

http://news.moviefone.com/2012/07/18/dark-knight-rises-bad-review-death-threats_n_1682283.html

Earlier this week, film critic Marshall Fine did something very common for a man of his profession: he wrote a negative review. Unfortunately, Fine wrote a negative review about "The Dark Knight Rises," easily the most anticipated movie of the summer -- and then the storm came.

The Hollywood and Fine helmer posted the first -- and for a number of days, only -- negative review about Christopher Nolan's finale on Rotten Tomatoes. The piece struck a nerve with fans and, in just six hours, received a whopping 460 comments on the movie site, some of which even called for the critic's death.

Many Batman supporters quoted "TDKR" to get their sentiment across, saying that his "punishment must be more severe" or that they haven't given him "permission to die" yet. Other remarks could not be found in the script and were far more serious. One user expressed his desire for Fine to "die in a fire." Another ruminated on beating the critic "with a thick rubber hose into a coma."

So what did Fine include in the review? According to him, "There is very little about 'The Dark Knight Rises' that will make you tense, hold you in suspense or cause your adrenaline to squirt. At times, the action is so massive and thunderously clunky that I might as well have been watching one of the “Transformers” movies."

After the numerous threats that popped up on the site, Rotten Tomatoes tweeted a response to its followers, warning that users who post inappropriate comments will result in being banned from their site.

UPDATE: Rotten Tomatoes has banned commenting on "Dark Knight Rises" reviews. As RT editor Matt Atchity explained in a letter on the site, "Marshall has the right to not like the movie, and people have the right to express their disagreement with him (although if you haven't seen the movie, your arguments may be on shaky ground). And we have the right to pull your comment down and ban you if we think you're acting inappropriately."

UPDATE 2: At the film's London premiere, director Christopher Nolan defended the heated fan response, stating "I think the fans are very passionate about these characters the way a lot of people are very passionate. Batman's been around for over 70 years and there's a reason for that. He has a huge appeal, so I think you know people certainly respond to the character."

Edited July 20, 2012 by Indigo Miser

[DirtyDeeds]

Damn... so the mother basically turns on the TV, sees the news which had not yet released the name of the suspect, and the mother goes, "Yeah, that's my kid. Shit, better get dressed and go out there."

I'm eager to hear what the back story is here and what, if anything, she had done in the past to let people know he was a dangerous lunatic.

[Projected]

Also - a fucking spoiler warning would be in place.

[dalsh327]

Wonder what the odds are that someone who was there went to Columbine?

[Johnny Drama]

Wonder what the odds are that someone who was there went to Columbine?

Im gonna say no but this is fucked. Heard some little girl and a small baby got shot yeah? Cunt. Happy no one killed him or he didn't kill himself. Proper justice and jail time done is needed for this shit.

[DirtyDeeds]

Wonder what the odds are that someone who was there went to Columbine?

Was there someone from Columbine there, or are you just wondering if there might have been?

[Johnny Drama]

Me tHinks hes wondering a la some big film script.

[Vincent Vega]

http://news.moviefon..._n_1682283.html

Earlier this week, film critic Marshall Fine did something very common for a man of his profession: he wrote a negative review. Unfortunately, Fine wrote a negative review about "The Dark Knight Rises," easily the most anticipated movie of the summer -- and then the storm came.

The Hollywood and Fine helmer posted the first -- and for a number of days, only -- negative review about Christopher Nolan's finale on Rotten Tomatoes. The piece struck a nerve with fans and, in just six hours, received a whopping 460 comments on the movie site, some of which even called for the critic's death.

Many Batman supporters quoted "TDKR" to get their sentiment across, saying that his "punishment must be more severe" or that they haven't given him "permission to die" yet. Other remarks could not be found in the script and were far more serious. One user expressed his desire for Fine to "die in a fire." Another ruminated on beating the critic "with a thick rubber hose into a coma."

So what did Fine include in the review? According to him, "There is very little about 'The Dark Knight Rises' that will make you tense, hold you in suspense or cause your adrenaline to squirt. At times, the action is so massive and thunderously clunky that I might as well have been watching one of the “Transformers” movies."

After the numerous threats that popped up on the site, Rotten Tomatoes tweeted a response to its followers, warning that users who post inappropriate comments will result in being banned from their site.

UPDATE: Rotten Tomatoes has banned commenting on "Dark Knight Rises" reviews. As RT editor Matt Atchity explained in a letter on the site, "Marshall has the right to not like the movie, and people have the right to express their disagreement with him (although if you haven't seen the movie, your arguments may be on shaky ground). And we have the right to pull your comment down and ban you if we think you're acting inappropriately."

UPDATE 2: At the film's London premiere, director Christopher Nolan defended the heated fan response, stating "I think the fans are very passionate about these characters the way a lot of people are very passionate. Batman's been around for over 70 years and there's a reason for that. He has a huge appeal, so I think you know people certainly respond to the character."

[Projected]

FUCKING SPOILER WARNING!!!!

[DirtyDeeds]

FUCKING SPOILER WARNING!!!!

There's nothing in there that gives away anything about the movie whatsoever.

[Johnny Drama]

Me tHinks hes wondering a la some big film script.

[Guest Len B'stard]

revenge of the nerds

[Projected]

FUCKING SPOILER WARNING!!!!

There's nothing in there that gives away anything about the movie whatsoever.

Well as soon as I started reading I figured it's gonna talk about the plot so I stopped.

If there's nothing in it, then sorry. Then a "no spoiler" warning should be in place

[Takeshi]

A terrible tragedy. My prayers are with those who have lost someone.

Another massacre in a "gun free zone." These lunatics go to places were they aren't going to get any return fire.

[arnold layne]

Do you think gun laws in America are appropriate or too lax and allow this sort of thing to happen? When gun laws have been tightened there are less of these incidents happening, people say they keep guns to protect themselves but this shows that it just doesn't work. Very sad situation & I hope it turns out not to be as bad as first reports come through.

No. Firearms are necessary to protect yourself from the government.

[Takeshi]

Also - a fucking spoiler warning would be in place.

We're talking about people who have been murdered. STFU about your little comic book movie spoilers.

[luciusfunk]

Wonder what the odds are that someone who was there went to Columbine?

Have you heard of William Zabel?

[Dazey]

No. Firearms are necessary to protect yourself from the government.

Don't be silly.

[Projected]

My prayers are with those who have lost someone.

Sure does help, buddy.

Man how I despise that phrase.

[Superfuzz]

Someone was probably texting during the movie. I would've done the same in his position.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Superfuzz

[sweetness]

we haven't had a mass shooting to my knowledge since that day in 1996.

Virginia Tech was pretty bad...

[Guest Len B'stard]

My prayers are with those who have lost someone.

Sure does help, buddy.

Man how I despise that phrase.

Why?

Edited July 20, 2012 by sugaraylen

[GNR-rock]

awful news my thoughts are with the victims and their families

[Takeshi]

Do you think gun laws in America are appropriate or too lax and allow this sort of thing to happen? When gun laws have been tightened there are less of these incidents happening, people say they keep guns to protect themselves but this shows that it just doesn't work. Very sad situation & I hope it turns out not to be as bad as first reports come through.

Actually since the UK banned guns, the number of murders committed with guns has actually increased. How does this incident show that keeping guns for protection doesn't work? Movie theaters don't allow people with concealed carry permits to bring their firearms inside and I've no reason to believe that this theater was any different. The victims had no weapons or ability to defend themselves.

[Dazey]

Actually since the UK banned guns, the number of murders committed with guns has actually increased. How does this incident show that keeping guns for protection doesn't work? Movie theaters don't allow people with concealed carry permits to bring their firearms inside and I've no reason to believe that this theater was any different. The victims had no weapons or ability to defend themselves.

If you look at that data you'll find that it's not what you think. We had very few even back then and we have more now but that's more to do with the change in society as a whole, it's got nothing to do with gun licencing. It's about having a firearms culture not firearms laws. We don't have that culture here and it's got little chance of developing with our laws the way they are. You already have that culture so the law is going to make no difference.

A quick google search (which I've not checked in detail so may be wrong) tell me that the US had about 9000 gun murders in 08/09 whereas the UK had 39. If you think that we have about a fifth of your population that's 195 a year if we had your population or you have approximately 46 times as many gun murders as us per head of population. We must be doing something right eh?

Edited July 20, 2012 by Dazey