# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/101 "2012-07-20T18:01:44Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I see. Color me unsurprised that they jumped the gun and were wrong – that seems SOP for new orgs these days. To be fair, they reported at the time that they weren’t sure it was the same James Holmes. They probably still should’ve waited, but thus is the nature of 24 hour news reporting. > [@Qin Shi](#): > > There is also speculation that he might have had links to OWS and anarchist movements. Is “there is also speculation” a wimpy way of saying “I am speculating”? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/102 "2012-07-20T18:03:04Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > By whom, and on what basis? Mostly by right-wing discussions such as FreeRepublic, Laura Ingram and Breitbart News. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > And are those speculations wrong as well, or just sauce for the goose responses to the Tea Party thing? As far as I can tell your usual political tit for tat sort of like Loughner. ---
**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, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/103 "2012-07-20T18:04:13Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Why? What would you have done? If I recall correctly **Loach** is currently or was a law enforcement officer. He would have used his training to take an appropriate, measured response with the hopes of disabling, killing or driving away the killer I assume. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/104 "2012-07-20T18:05:08Z")
> [@2gigch1](#): > > If I recall correctly **Loach** is currently or was a law enforcement officer. He would have used his training to take an appropriate, measured response with the hopes of disabling, killing or driving away the killer I assume. In other words, he would have shot the dirty bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/105 "2012-07-20T18:05:43Z")
Unfortunately this discuss is getting political already… :rolleyes: > [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Why? What would you have done? There was a shooting at a Colorado church a few years ago where the shooter was taken out by the security guard. > [@Simplicio](#): > > Is “there is also speculation” a wimpy way of saying “I am speculating”? No, I was just curious and looked through FreeRepublic’s responses. I’m agnostic currently on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/106 "2012-07-20T18:12:28Z")
[Page 89 of the _The Dark Knight Returns_](http://i.imgur.com/kawVV.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/107 "2012-07-20T18:16:38Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > [Page 89 of the _The Dark Knight Returns_](http://i.imgur.com/kawVV.jpg) Have any of the major news outlets taken this angle yet? It reminds me of John Hinkley and\* Taxi Driver\*. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/108 "2012-07-20T18:17:36Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Have any of the major news outlets taken this angle yet? It reminds me of John Hinkley and\* Taxi Driver\*. If they do hopefully they don’t go on about"it was inspired by the movie" bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/109 "2012-07-20T18:22:44Z")
Does anyone know if Colorado is a death penalty state? ---
**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, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/110 "2012-07-20T18:23:30Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Why? What would you have done? > [@2gigch1](#): > > If I recall correctly **Loach** is currently or was a law enforcement officer. He would have used his training to take an appropriate, measured response with the hopes of disabling, killing or driving away the killer I assume. Which is significantly different than the usual internet chest-pounding that occurs whenever something like this happens, about how every citizen in the United States carrying loaded weapons at all times would make everything better. ---
**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, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/111 "2012-07-20T18:30:44Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > [Page 89 of the _The Dark Knight Returns_](http://i.imgur.com/kawVV.jpg) Creepy. I wonder if that’s the song on repeat they couldn’t identify? The gunman had something going on in his apartment all night. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/112 "2012-07-20T18:31:26Z")
Did they get their ticket price refunded? ---
**Author:** ![IceQube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/113 "2012-07-20T18:32:52Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Jesus, that’s so stupid on so many levels. If someone is going to use a handgun to take out a shooter wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with an AK, a shotgun, and two handguns of his own in a crowded, darkened movie theater, then yes, direct divine intervention from God himself will probably be necessary. Not to mention that there was tear gas in the dark movie theater, further obstructing one’s vision and ability to accurately shoot the suspect without causing collateral damage. Nonetheless, I would still applaud a citizen if he or she were to have taken out this shooter. But the thought of having numerous poorly trained citizens running around with weapons trying to play God scares me. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/114 "2012-07-20T18:36:50Z")
Apparently the shooter was studying neuroscience: [http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/20/us/colorado-theater-suspect-profile/index.html?hpt=hp\_t1](http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/20/us/colorado-theater-suspect-profile/index.html?hpt=hp_t1) > [@](#): > > It turns out that Holmes, who has roots in San Diego, was student at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora. He was in the process of withdrawing at the time of the shooting, university officials said. He was a doctoral student in the neuroscience program. > > A college syllabus that lists Holmes as a student shows that he may have taken a class in which he studied topics as diverse as substance abuse, schizophrenia, depression and other disorders. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/115 "2012-07-20T18:38:01Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Did they get their ticket price refunded? No, but the survivors received a voucher for a free small popcorn on their next visit, with purchase of a jumbo Mountain Dew Code Red or Berry Blast… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/116 "2012-07-20T18:39:15Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Mostly by right-wing discussions such as FreeRepublic, Laura Ingram and Breitbart News. So it’s empty speculation based on no facts at all. Excellent. I’ve been saying there wasn’t nearly enough of that going on. Lord knows all our psychos carefully explore the wide range of opinions in our political system before they do something like shoot up a movie theater. One doesn’t just do that for no coherent reason! > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > If they do hopefully they don’t go on about"it was inspired by the movie" bullshit. I do too, but since rightwingers have been insisting for a while that the movie is anti-Romney, didn’t you already sort of engage in that when you said > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > There is also speculation that he might have had links to OWS and anarchist movements. Because it sounds that view of the movie is the basis for that particular bit of speculation. We know nothing of any links to anything at this point. ABC fucked up royally with their Tea Party thing and these people seem to be pulling it out of their asses. I hope everyone in the hospitals recover and that nobody is hurt or loses their home because this insanity with the booby traps. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/117 "2012-07-20T18:41:46Z")
I’m surprised the cops took this guy alive. If ever there was a Shot While Resisting Arrest waiting to happen, it would be in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/118 "2012-07-20T18:42:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So it’s empty speculation based on no facts at all. Excellent. I’ve been saying there wasn’t nearly enough of that going on. Lord knows all our psychos carefully explore the wide range of opinions in our political system before they do something like shoot up a movie theater. One doesn’t just do that for no coherent reason! I was just responding to the speculation he might have been linked to the Tea Party which was based on false evidence. > [@](#): > > I do too, but since rightwingers have been insisting for a while that the movie is anti-Romney, didn’t you already sort of engage in that when you said Which I wasn’t insisting. I was just saying what some people were speculating on. > [@](#): > > Because it sounds that view of the movie is the basis for that particular bit of speculation. We know nothing of any links to anything at this point. ABC fucked up royally with their Tea Party thing and these people seem to be pulling it out of their asses. I hope everyone in the hospitals recover and that nobody is hurt or loses their home because this insanity with the booby traps. Amen. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/119 "2012-07-20T18:43:24Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I’m surprised the cops took this guy alive. If ever there was a Shot While Resisting Arrest waiting to happen, it would be in this case. The police do tend to be professional, even ordinary citizens. After all Loughner didn’t get lynched after being subdued by citizens. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835/120 "2012-07-20T18:49:40Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I’m surprised the cops took this guy alive. If ever there was a Shot While Resisting Arrest waiting to happen, it would be in this case. I believe he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and that he basically surrendered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/12-people-shot-dead-at-batman-movie-screening-in-denver/628835.md?page=7)