16.26 (09.26) A special screening of the latest Batman movie in Paris
will go ahead as planned today after the deadly shooting spree at a US
opening of the movie, the management of the Grand Rex cinema said. “In
an effort to not disappoint devoted fans of the film, we decided to go ahead
with the special screening scheduled tonight at the Grand Rex,” a
statement said. The French premiere of the film, due yesterday, was
cancelled.
16.16 (09.16) This picture makes chillingly clear how the shooter
carried out his attack.
After buying a ticket and sitting at the front of the theatre, the gunman
walked out through the exit door you can see. His white Hyundai was parked
as close as possible to the door, meaning that within moments of leaving the
cinema he could start “gearing up” – putting on his protective
equipment and arming himself. The photograph shows his discarded AR15
as well as a trail of blood from one of his victims.
16.02 (09.02) Users of Reddit have dug up an extraordinary amount of
information since the killings in the early hours of Friday morning. Their
latest find is a document from the Department of Homeland Security
from May 2012 warning that cinemas are a vulnerable target for a killer
determined to inflict mass casualties.
15.57 (08.57) Among the 58 victims who survived the attack was Stephen
Barton, a cyclist who was crossing America with a friend when they
decided to stop in Aurora and watch the film. He was shot in the neck while
his arms were peppered with shotgun pellets. He told the Los Angeles Times:
It seemed very methodical, just the rate at which he was firing and how he
wasn’t really moving positions. He was just like unloading into a crowd.”
15.45 (08.45) Local residents will be warned with a reverse 911 call
before the police attempt any controlled explosion.
15.30 (08.30) Officers in Aurora are saying that they hope to enter
Holmes’s apartment today but warn that the process of removing his trip
wires may cause an explosion. Nick Allen reports from Colorado:
Speaking outside Holmes’ booby-trapped house, Sgt Cassidee Carlson said
the first challenge for bomb disposal experts was a tripwire and there may
be controlled detonations. She said: “There may well be a fire that
arises at that point. Once that tripwire has been dealt with then we can
move on.” Bomb disposal experts then face the task of dealing with
around 30 aerial shells. Those will eventually be placed in sand trucks and
taken to a safe location for detonation. There is no timescale for the
delicate operation. They are hoping to get in to the apartment shortly but
Sgt Carlson added: “We have no idea how long this is going to take.”
15.15 (08.15) Authorities and journalists have been perplexed at how
few traces there are of the 24-year-old Holmes on the internet. Unlike many
of his contemporaries he appears not to have a Facebook or Twitter account.
But users of Reddit last night uncovered a page on AdultFinder, a
site designed to connect people for casual sex, that was listed under the
username “ClassicJimbo”. The user claims to be from Aurora,
Colorado, and the picture shows a man with dyed red hair who strongly
resembles Holmes. At one point the user asks: “Will you visit me in
prison?”
Police are said to be investigating the profile but it should be noted there
have already been a number of internet hoaxes related to the killing.
14.58 (07.58) Since the death of Jessica
Ghawi, a 24-year-old aspiring sports journalist, was confirmed by
her family yesterday several more victims have been identified.
Alex Sullivan was beginning his 27th birthday celebrations with a trip
to the cinema. Like Ghawi, he tweeted his excitement: “Oh man one hour
till the movie and its going to be the best BIRTHDAY ever.” Sullivan’s
father carried a photo of his son for several hours outside the cinema,
desperately hoping someone could give him news.
Micayla Medek (below right) was 23 and joined a group of friends to go
the Batman premiere. On an online profile she described herself as “a
simple independent girl who’s just trying to get her life together while
still having fun”. Her sister, Amanda (left), waited in agony as news
of the victims slowly emerged.
–
Matt McQuinn was killed while reportedly trying to shield his
girlfriend Samantha Yowler (below left) from the hail of bullets inside of
theatre 9. She was reportedly shot in the leg but is expected to recover.
–
John Thomas Larimer, 27, was a cyber technician with the United States
Navy and was stationed the nearby Buckley Air Force Base. Navy officials
confirmed his death as well as the wounding of another sailor.
–
14.47 (07.47) We’re expecting an update from Aurora Police in
around 10 minutes.
14.40 (07.40) More than 24 hours after the massacre police have still
not been able to enter Holmes’s flat due to what they’re calling a
series of “chemical and incendiary devices” that he left as a trap
for first responders. “I personally have never seen anything like what
the pictures show us is in there,” said Dan Oates, Aurora’s
police chief. Officers may try to detonate some of the explosives with a
robot this morning.
14.30 (07.30) Friends and relatives of the Colorado cinema shooting
suspect have expressed their shock at the alleged actions of a young man
they describe as “unassuming” and a “very good guy”, Caroline
Hedley reports.
James Holmes, an uncle of the suspect who shares the same name, said he was
“blown away” by reports that his 24-year-old nephew was responsible for the
atrocity, which left 12 people dead and 58 injured during a midnight
screening of Batman: The Dark Knight in Aurora, Colorado.
Speaking from his home in Carmel, northern California, Mr Holmes described
the younger James as “an unassuming kid” and a “nerd”, who friends and
family members knew as “Jimmy”.
His sentiments were shared by Tom Mai, who has lived next door to the
suspect’s family for over ten years in San Diego, southern California.
“He was a quiet guy, very nice … I’d see him washing the car for his
parents, he was a typical American boy”, Mr Mai told reporters.
14.28 (07.28) The alleged gunman may have planned to lure police into
his booby-trapped home by playing loud music to attract a noise
investigation, reports our news team.
Holmes, who allegedly killed 12 people during a screening of the new “Batman”
film in Aurora, Colorado, is understood to have set a timer to play the same
song over and over again in his apartment.
A law enforcement source told the Reuters news agency that it appeared to
be an attempt to draw a complaint from neighbours, in the the hope that they
might then call police who would try to force their way in.
Chris Henderson, Aurora’s deputy fire chief, said Holmes’ living room was
found rigged with trip wires connected to what appeared to be plastic
bottles containing an unknown liquid.
14.25 (07.25) Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes purchased
some 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the internet before carrying out his
massacre at a midnight screening of Batman, reports Caroline Hedley.
The ammunition was part of a massive arsenal he gathered in the run-up to
the killings, which also included four guns legally purchased at local gun
shops.
His weapons were two Glock pistols, a 12-guage shotgun, and a high-powered
AR-15 assault rifle fitted with a drum magazine allowing a fire rate of 50
to 60 rounds per minute.
Dan Oates, the chief of police in Aurora, Colorado, where Holmes killed 12
people and injured 58 others, said: ’He purchased four guns at local gun
shops and through the internet he purchased over 6,000 rounds of ammunition,
more than 3,000 rounds of 0.223 ammunition for the assault rifle, 3,000
rounds of 0.40 caliber ammunition for the two Glocks in his possession, and
300 rounds for the 12 gauge shotgun.
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