Suspect named in Colorado shooting
- 12 years ago
A gunman in a gas mask and body armor kills at least 12 people at a midnight premiere of the new "Batman" movie in a Denver suburb early Friday morning.
Police identified 24-year-old James Eagan Holmes as the suspect. Holmes is a University of Colorado medical school student who was in the process of dropping out of a graduate program in neurosciences.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said the event should not take away anyone's liberty.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) COLORADO GOVERNOR, JOHN HICKENLOOPER, SAYING:
"This is the act apparently of a very deranged mind. This is a safe city, a safe state, and a safe country. We have to recognize that we can't allow people that are aberrations of nature to take away the joys and freedoms that we enjoy."
Aurora police chief Dan Oates says they are still trying to sort through the aftermath.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AURORA POLICE CHIEF, DAN OATES, SAYING:
"Our best available count on injuries as of right now is that 71 people were shot and that 12 are deceased, two died in area hospitals and 10 are deceased in the crime scene at this time and we are making best efforts to identify and remove those 10."
In Washington, DC the flags have been lowered to half mast. Earlier U.S. president Barack Obama called on all Americans to keep the people of Aurora in their hearts and minds.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.
Police identified 24-year-old James Eagan Holmes as the suspect. Holmes is a University of Colorado medical school student who was in the process of dropping out of a graduate program in neurosciences.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said the event should not take away anyone's liberty.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) COLORADO GOVERNOR, JOHN HICKENLOOPER, SAYING:
"This is the act apparently of a very deranged mind. This is a safe city, a safe state, and a safe country. We have to recognize that we can't allow people that are aberrations of nature to take away the joys and freedoms that we enjoy."
Aurora police chief Dan Oates says they are still trying to sort through the aftermath.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AURORA POLICE CHIEF, DAN OATES, SAYING:
"Our best available count on injuries as of right now is that 71 people were shot and that 12 are deceased, two died in area hospitals and 10 are deceased in the crime scene at this time and we are making best efforts to identify and remove those 10."
In Washington, DC the flags have been lowered to half mast. Earlier U.S. president Barack Obama called on all Americans to keep the people of Aurora in their hearts and minds.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.