"Batman Massacre"

[Nekojin]

Last night, at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie in Aurora, Colorado, a man entered a theater through the emergency exit, threw a smoke grenade (believed to be homemade tear gas), and started shooting. He was wearing an armored vest and gas mask, and carrying a handgun and rifle.

At this time, the casualties count 12 deaths and over 20 more injured.

News article on Reuters

The suspect was arrested in the parking lot of the theater, where he informed the police of his identity, and told them that he had a bomb in his apartment. Cautious investigation of the apartment determined that the place was, indeed, booby-trapped with fairly sophisticated explosives.

- - - - -

Holy crap. What the hell is wrong with this guy?

[BrenDAnn]

And already this has been turned into a political/religious fight by certain people. There's even one congressman linking it to "ongoing attacks on Christian-Judeo beliefs". This is a tragedy, not an excuse for people to try and spout their beliefs. My thoughts to all those affected.

[bara]

wrong[/i] with this guy?

He isn't dead yet? That seems pretty wrong to me.

I'm all about due process and all, especially when evidence has to be gathered. But since he admitted it, how about we give him the express treatment?

[telecom_goddess]

I've been hearing about this all morning and I really have no idea what goes through people's minds when they decide to do this kind of thing.

The only bright spot in this is he did warn them about his apartment. Otherwise others could have been killed just by going in there.

Every few years it seems someone has got to go on a shooting spree somewhere, usually somewhere we generally feel safe like school or a theater or something. Now theaters are going to be locked down with security and ticket prices will probably go up as a result of this. People won't be able to go in without being searched first.

ETA:

He isn't dead yet? That seems pretty wrong to me.

I'm all about due process and all, especially when evidence has to be gathered. But since he admitted it, how about we give him the express treatment?

I have to agree with this one. Execute his ass RIGHT NOW, no fucking around. He deserves it.

[Jetfire]

Condolences to those affected by this.

That said, I'm a little boggled at some of the reports I've been reading in the aftermath, just coming across my RSS feeds. There are talks about "Improving Movie Theatre" safety, which to me is bringing to mind images of "No Movies Lists" and full body scanners outside theatres and so forth.

I doubt (hope?) it doesn't go that far; even metal detectors would be too much IMO. Sometimes a tragedy is just a tragedy. It's good they'll be trying to figure out why he flipped out like he did and killed so many people; but trying to lock down theatres (and other entertainment complexes) much more than they currently are will just be a heavy blow to an already reeling industry. (As is the stock in various theatre companies was down after the tragedy).

[TheHuckster]

I doubt (hope?) it doesn't go that far; even metal detectors would be too much IMO. Sometimes a tragedy is just a tragedy. It's good they'll be trying to figure out why he flipped out like he did and killed so many people; but trying to lock down theatres (and other entertainment complexes) much more than they currently are will just be a heavy blow to an already reeling industry. (As is the stock in various theatre companies was down after the tragedy).

That wouldn't have even prevented this tragedy. He went into the theater via the emergency exit.

[Nekojin]

The only bright spot in this is he did warn them about his apartment. Otherwise others could have been killed just by going in there.

From what I've read, it was my guess that he "warned" them in the hopes of getting them to go charging in to disarm the bomb, and set it off in the process.

[crashhelmet]

And already this has been turned into a political/religious fight by certain people. There's even one congressman linking it to "ongoing attacks on Christian-Judeo beliefs". This is a tragedy, not an excuse for people to try and spout their beliefs. My thoughts to all those affected.

he even went on to say something along the lines of "Why wasn't anyone else there with a gun that could've shot him?"

Naturally, this Congressman is from Texas.

ETA...
Damnit.. hit send too soon...

Without derailing this, he needs to stop and think about that comment. Dark movie theatre, people screaming and running around. The limited visibility created by the lack of lighting already, was now limited even more because of the smoke. What would the casualty count be from "friendly fire"?

[Jetfire]

he even went on to say something along the lines of "Why wasn't anyone else there with a gun that could've shot him?"

Naturally, this Congressman is from Texas.

ETA...
Damnit.. hit send too soon...

Without derailing this, he needs to stop and think about that comment. Dark movie theatre, people screaming and running around. The limited visibility created by the lack of lighting already, was now limited even more because of the smoke. What would the casualty count be from "friendly fire"?

Yeah over on another board I'm on (SB), the discussion about this massacre has already gone heavy on CCW permits and what difference it may have made.

Considering the situation (smoke/tear gas, movie soundtrack already heavy with gun fire, and the chaos that was sure to have followed the first few shots), I personally don't see how having someone (or someones) with weapons in there would have helped any.

That wouldn't have even prevented this tragedy. He went into the theater via the emergency exit.

Well that will just lead to people calling for Emergency exits to be alarmed up the wazoo and only be openable from the inside of course. Granted that's a small 'price' to pay and I wouldn't mind that at all, considering in a lot of retail stores and other public buildings the emergency exits are just like that.

But beyond that I don't see how much more could be done for this mess. Especially for event movies like this. Will they ban people from showing up in costumes for Public Events now? Hopefully not.

[bex1218]

The theaters here have the emergency exits that open from the inside only, and the door will sound an alarm thats in the actual theaters. The other is just another way to exit if you are on that side of the parking lot.

[Nekojin]

The reason that there weren't any armed people there to "take him out" is that Cinemark has a strict no-guns policy, and if you're carrying legally, you'd want to honor their request to leave your guns outside. The only people who could have possibly shot back would have been people carrying illegally.

And, as CrashHelmet points out, the presence of other armed individuals wouldn't necessarily have made the situation BETTER.

[crashhelmet]

The theaters here have the emergency exits that open from the inside only, and the door will sound an alarm thats in the actual theaters. The other is just another way to exit if you are on that side of the parking lot.

One article I read said it was propped open, but didn't say how. Could've been something keeping the door from closing all the way, or something as simple as tape keeping the door from latching shut.

[Nekojin]

One article I read said it was propped open, but didn't say how. Could've been something keeping the door from closing all the way, or something as simple as tape keeping the door from latching shut.

Given that he spent hundreds, if not thousands, on the preparation for this (including the explosives), it's not a stretch to think that he bought a ticket for this, went in with the crowd, went out the emergency exit and jammed it, and went to get his gear. One of the interviewees said that the attack took place about 20 minutes into the movie. That sounds about right for him to go strap on a bulletproof vest and gear-check himself before heading back.

[Zod]

And, as CrashHelmet points out, the presence of other armed individuals wouldn't necessarily have made the situation BETTER.

Especially as they'd have been firing bind due to the tear gas.

Has anyone yet said the other classic, of "if guns were banned he'd just have beaten those 12 people to death with a baseball bat" ?

[Andara Bledin]

Has anyone yet said the other classic, of "if guns were banned he'd just have beaten those 12 people to death with a baseball bat" ?

Oh, I'm sure there have been a lot of, "If they'd had" and, "If he didn't have" comments.

The basic fact is that this guy was screwed up in the head and went to great lengths to rack up a body count in a spectacular manner.

The best we can do after the fact is to give him as little publicity as possible and negate, as much as we can, what it was he attempted to do, which was to co-opt the Batman publicity machine for his own purposes.

^-.-^