# 12 people shot dead at BATMAN movie screening in Denver. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2012, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835 "2012-07-20T09:31:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/21 "2012-07-20T13:19:14Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > A three-month-old baby is among the victims? At a midnight showing of _The Dark Knight Rises?_ WTF? I don’t think 3 month old babies have regular sleeping schedules… ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/22 "2012-07-20T13:26:51Z")
I must admit I’ve thought we were overdue for a domestic terrorist attack, especially with the international events going on and our upcoming presidential election, but this doesn’t seem to have that as a motivator. So sadly I am still expecting some form of the former. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/23 "2012-07-20T13:41:51Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > A three-month-old baby is among the victims? At a midnight showing of _The Dark Knight Rises?_ WTF? Probably a better topic for another thread (since just being there doesn’t mean you should be susceptible to gunfire) but I agree with you. I heard a 6 year-old was also shot and they were getting statements from pleanty of 12 year olds. What the hell are a bunch of children doing at a midnight showing of a PG-13 movie? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/24 "2012-07-20T13:44:39Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > I don’t think 3 month old babies have regular sleeping schedules… I recall. Can’t really fathom subjecting a three-month old to that sort of noise at any time, though - or other theatre patrons to a baby’s natural reaction to that sort of noise. (Unless the theater had an isolated parents’ room?) Also in the WTF department, one of the dead was a [Texas woman](http://globalgrind.com/news/aurora-movie-theater-shooting-jessica-ghawi-12-people-killed-wounded-james-holmes-shooter-photos) who recently [wrote about narrowly avoiding last month’s mass shooting at Toronto’s Eaton Center](http://jessicaredfield.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/late-night-thoughts-on-the-eaton-center-shooting/): > [@](#): > > I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders’ faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don’t know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/25 "2012-07-20T13:52:34Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > What the hell are a bunch of children doing at a midnight showing of a PG-13 movie? They are out of school for the Summer. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/26 "2012-07-20T13:53:07Z")
you tube [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7czM8a4Oug&feature=watch_response)of the panic. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/27 "2012-07-20T13:54:44Z")
She’s all over my FB feed at the moment - she was an intern sportscaster on the radio. But that’s not the same Jessica. edit: @ Larry. ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/28 "2012-07-20T13:55:17Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Also in the WTF department, one of the dead was a [Texas woman](http://globalgrind.com/news/aurora-movie-theater-shooting-jessica-ghawi-12-people-killed-wounded-james-holmes-shooter-photos) who recently [wrote about narrowly avoiding last month’s mass shooting at Toronto’s Eaton Center](http://jessicaredfield.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/late-night-thoughts-on-the-eaton-center-shooting/): Reading her [twitter feed](https://twitter.com/jessicaredfield)is rather depressing. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/29 "2012-07-20T13:58:18Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > She’s all over my FB feed at the moment - she was an intern sportscaster on the radio. But that’s not the same Jessica. Different name, but same girl. You can see her photo in her profile, and her blog and twitter make it clear. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/30 "2012-07-20T13:58:32Z")
> [@PacifistPorcupine](#): > > Reading her [twitter feed](https://twitter.com/jessicaredfield)is rather depressing. Creepy. Did she recently get married or something? You’re [quite right](http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2012/07/aurora_theater_shooting_dark_knight_rises_batman.php)! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/31 "2012-07-20T13:59:40Z")
Now that the gallows humor cherry has been broken I can bust out with some lyrics by My Chemical Romance: > [@](#): > > Remember when you were a madman > Thought you was Batman > and hit the party with a gascan ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/32 "2012-07-20T14:16:30Z")
According to FB, a former coworker’s daughter was there. Physically fine but a bit shocked. I don’t think I want to let my kid out of my sight for awhile! ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/33 "2012-07-20T14:22:00Z")
Evidently the three month old was in a different showing room, so I suppose the kid could have been there for a different movie entirely. In any case, it seems that the infant’s injuries were not due to gunshot. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/34 "2012-07-20T14:27:04Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Probably a better topic for another thread (since just being there doesn’t mean you should be susceptible to gunfire) but I agree with you. > I heard a 6 year-old was also shot and they were getting statements from pleanty of 12 year olds. > What the hell are a bunch of children doing at a midnight showing of a PG-13 movie? Why not? It’s summer and they can sleep in the next day. Some kids really want to be the first to see the movie, just like when Harry Potter movies come out and they all go to the midnight premiers. As for the 3 month baby, if the child is going to be sleeping, as is likely, a lot of parents would rather hold the baby in the theater than pay a sitter. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/35 "2012-07-20T14:27:50Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > This is awful on so many levels. Due to agoraphobia I get anxious in theaters and specifically worry about random shootings. So far I’ve been calming myself by saying, “What a silly fear. That’s never happened!” Guess I can’t do that anymore. ☹ I always look for all the exits whenever I go to a crowded public place, but that doesn’t seem like an unreasonable fear. Unfortunately. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/36 "2012-07-20T14:33:50Z")
There’s a dad outside the local high school (where people are being interviewed) asking if anyone’s seen his son. It’s sad. [Link](http://live.denverpost.com/Event/Aurora_Theater_Shooting_July_20_2012). I don’t know if it’s the same Alex mentioned in an earlier report? You know how online news is always reporting people’s Twitter feeds? This morning someone was asking if anyone had seen his friend Alex. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/37 "2012-07-20T14:34:02Z")
> [@Beastly\_Rotter](#): > > Everyone’s a critic. > [@Bob Ducca](#): > > What in the actual fuck is wrong with you? There must be something in the actual fuck wrong with me too, because I laughed. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/38 "2012-07-20T14:35:29Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > What in the actual fuck is wrong with you? The same thing that is wrong every single time someone makes a joke in a thread with a morbid topic. They are participating in gallows humor. It isn’t an indication that something is ‘wrong’ with them; it is an indication that they have a different sense of humor than you do. Man, I felt something brewing about this movie. Fans have just been über invested. I don’t know if Heath Ledger’s performance in the last movie was just so freaking astonishing that fans were too worked up for the next installment, but fans have been going bananas. Threatening critics, flooding rotten tomatoes with enough crazy comments to shut the damn comments section down, prompting the website owner to release a statement saying “Jesus Christ twisting the nails, it’s just a MOVIE people!” It is really bizarre. I am on the edge of my seat to find out if we will get any answers as to why this happened. Also chomping at the bit to see the movie. Going tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/39 "2012-07-20T14:43:07Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > The same thing that is wrong every single time someone makes a joke in a thread with a morbid topic. They are participating in gallows humor. It isn’t an indication that something is ‘wrong’ with them; it is an indication that they have a different sense of humor than you do. I’m a cop and a soldier. If it wasn’t for gallows humor I would have lost my mind long ago. Although it is usually me who tells the guys it’s not a good idea to be laughing and joking while standing near the head because someone might be taking pictures. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/40 "2012-07-20T14:45:20Z")
Why isn’t anyone asking where the shooter got all those wonderful toys? OK, I’ll crawl back into my hole now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835.md?page=3)