A video footage of the shooting in a cinema hall in Dever, USA
DENVER, USA - 12 people have
been killed and 50 wounded in a shooting at a midnight cinema
showing of the new Batman film near Denver, Colorado.
Witnesses said a man wearing a gas mask opened fire after
tossing a tear gas canister in the auditorium as movie-goers watched The
Dark Knight Rises.
A 24-year-old local man was arrested in a car park nearby in possession of a rifle, handgun and knife.
Another gun was recovered from the theatre, in the city of Aurora.
FBI sources named the gunman as Aurora resident James Holmes, a
white American. They said no terrorism link had been established.
Booby trap
Acting on information from the suspect, the authorities said
they had discovered his home in the north of Aurora is booby-trapped
with flammable and explosive material.
The apartment complex was evacuated as FBI agents and police
used a fire engine ladder to reach the property, and put a camera on the
end of pole to look inside.
Police chief Dan Oates said the massacre was "a horrific event".
"The shooting apparently went on for some time," he added.
Witnesses said the gunman opened fire during an action scene in the summer blockbuster.
The new Batman film may have inspired rampage
The gunman was described as wearing a bullet proof vest and
riot gear, an outfit similar to the villain Bane in The Dark Knight
Rises.
There was chaos as movie-goers, some dressed in costume as heroes and villains, fled.
Ten people were killed at the cinema and two others died later in hospital of their wounds.
Many ambulances attended the scene.
About 50 people including a three month-old baby and a six year-old, were injured, some in a critical condition, were taken to
four hospitals. Several victims were reportedly suffering from the
effects of chemical exposure from the canister thrown by the gunman.
One witness said the gunman had been "slowly making his way up the stairs and just firing - picking random people".
Another witness, Chayyiel Jackson, told the BBC: "During the
first action scene in the movie, on the right side a dude came in all
blacked out, with a black mask. At first we thought it was part of the
movie event.
"He threw tear gas across the crowd and after that people started to panic. He pulled out a rifle and started shooting.
A witness in the next-door theatre reported that he initially
thought live special effects had been laid on by the cinema after
hearing loud bangs and seeing smoke.
Obama shock
President Obama said in a statement that he and First Lady
Michelle Obama were "shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic
shooting".
He added: "As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family."
Premier cancelled
New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said his officers
would patrol screenings of the film in that city to deter any copycat
shootings.
Plans for Friday night's red carpet premiere of the film on
the Champs-Elysees in Paris have been cancelled, while media interviews
with its stars have been called off.
Opinion
Often we dismiss certain types of music, films and games as just fun and entertianment but many of them have sinister undertones and dark themes which we need of be aware of and not take for granted.
Source BBC
Opinion
Often we dismiss certain types of music, films and games as just fun and entertianment but many of them have sinister undertones and dark themes which we need of be aware of and not take for granted.
Source BBC
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