Mass shooting in Aurora, CO (At Batman Film Premiere)

I read through almost all of the pages on this (have been following all day) and would like to add some quick clarification to the comments regarding the movie theater exit door being propped open.

Having managed movie theaters in all different parts of the country, I can say that I am very confused that there are reports saying he 'kicked the door open.' I have never been to a movie theater that had rear exit doors that opened to the inside. They are usually the typical 'push bar' style that only swing open to the outside. Also, these are not emergency exits. If there were alarms attached to these doors I can only imagine all of the annoyed patrons when somebody walked through one of them. Or kids were trying to sneak their friends in. They'd be going off all the time, ruining people's movies.

I can also confirm that it is not difficult at all to keep these particular doors propped open. A small piece of cardboard (or even a flattened cup or popcorn bag) is sufficient, and I suppose it could have been something as simple as a piece of duct tape over the bolt mechanism which would also be very hard to detect.

Theater employees should ideally be checking exit doors after each show, but there are too many factors to say that there was negligence on any particular employee's part. The door could have easily been propped open as soon as he walked into the theater to be seated, with little or no disturbance to the crowd since the movie wouldn't have been playing (and I imagine it was pretty chaotic already with all of the excitement).

Would love if somebody familiar with that theater can confirm that the exit doors opened to the inside or swung open to the outside.

First ATS post, pleasure to be among so many intellectual thinkers!

reply to post by ZiggyMojo

Where did you see that he only had on a Kevlar vest and riot mask? I have seen several reports that said he also had a throat and groin guard as well as protection for his extremities. I also have read reports of both riot masks and gas masks.

He had a gask mask, you can see a picture of it at the scene on the ground........

I suppose it could have been someone ELSES, but the odds of someone else wearing a gas mask at a theater are pretty slim

Originally posted by Shdak
reply to post by sirnukeem

 

Colorado theater shooting; Unbelievable, that nobody went after this guy while he was shooting... has America really got that bad, does everyone have blinders on, do you actually depend on safety prcedures & law enforcement to protect you in every way possible?

I don’t mean to be harsh, but I just find it hard to believe… shot at me, my family, friends, or community neighbors and you better hope you kill me on the spot, because I know I will be protecting what I love the most... and if anyone at that theater did give their life protecting others, my God bless you for your unselfishness.

I know this is a RANT...

It's very commonplace at these big movie premieres for the theatre staff to put on a show to entertain the audience while they wait and it seems a lot of these people were dumbfounded and even still sat there after shots were fired. Thinking this was just part of the show.

He was a big guy dressed in riot gear or what have you and was most likely intimidating. Women and children didn't stand a chance.
He threw out canisters of pepper spray and or tear gas, disabling the victims. It disables their vision and ability to breathe, rendering them helpless.

Unfortunately not everybody would act like you think you would have and the suspect planned for that.
Have you ever been in a panic situation? All your senses go out the window. They were no doubt in shock.

Now you cant wear costumes at AMC theaters, and the list is going to get longer.

Not that i would wear a costume to a movie!

reply to post by senselessness


I'm not meaning to pick on you but could you please just drop it for now. For Pete's sake this back and forth has gone on for 10's of pages and HOURS.

Right now I don't care if you have your eardrum wired to the scanner you aren't there, they aren't there, you don't know, and they don't know.

Please just drop it for now, okay?

reply to post by WozaMeathed


Nothing wrong with bare arms man. I love tank tops.


Oh but also, try harder next time you bash America for gun violence. Hell, remember Norway?

Originally posted by getreadyalready

Originally posted by Shadow Herder

Originally posted by SilentKoala
Prepare for more anti-gun laws and "domestic terrorism" propaganda...

I would love to see your stance on guns when someone guns down your loved ones.
I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Really? You think a pro-gunner would change their stance if a loved one was a victim of gun violence? I had two acquaintances murdered with a common kitchen knife, but I still use one for my steaks. I've known several people killed in car accidents, but I still drive one. I had a friend of a friend killed on a motorcycle just last weekend, but I still rode mine later that day.

You really think we ought to ban everything that ever killed anybody?

Then why is pot illegal?

The fact that guns are need by some shows the level of intelligence in this society has dropped. If you need to carry a crude projectile firing weapon then you or the people around you are pathetic goons who shouldnt even be breathing the same air as me.

Originally posted by Laokin

It was NOT A KEVLAR HELM. It was a RIOT MASK. It was made of PLASTIC.

The only armor he had on was a vest, which would only POTENTIALLY stop .22-9mm bullets.

And seriously, if you had a target with a visible vest and a helm on, would you not shoot him in the knee?

You know what really surprises me is the fact that there wasn't one person that grabbed him, tackled him to the ground and kicked the ever loving crap out of him, or snapped his neck like a twig.

Even without a gun people in masses have the advantage, they unfortunately allow fear to take hold, which is exactly what the perpetrators are hoping for.

reply to post by Valhall


You don't know what I know.

So don't tell me what I can and can not say or do.

Thanks.

F.Y.I. Most victims were treated for tear gas inhalation only, not gun shots. Go ahead and read this topic from the beginning for links to sources.

I live 5 blocks from this and hazmat is everywhere

Originally posted by WozaMeathed

I think its time that NATO & the UN comes and over throws your government,Since you Americans are killing more of each other with guns on a daliy bases that are being killed by governments in countries sush as Syria,ect.

edit on 20-7-2012 by WozaMeathed because: (no reason given)

You know, at least two different moderators have come on this thread telling you cheese-whizzes to drop the pro-gun/anti-gun bullcrap. Why don't you just STFU.

That and you don't realize your last paragraph is exactly why Americans will never give up their gun rights. Come on and admit it...you're working for the NRA aren't you?

lol

reply to post by Shadow Herder

Then why is pot illegal?

The fact that guns are need by some shows the level of intelligence in this society has dropped. If you need to carry a crude projectile firing weapon then you or the people around you are pathetic goons who shouldnt even be breathing the same air as me.

That makes no sense. Neither the first line, nor the 2nd paragraph. What does pot have to do with cars and guns and knives? You said guns should be banned, and I gave several examples of other things that kill people more often than guns and are not banned. Why do you bring up something entirely unrelated and likely to get removed by mods?

As for the second paragraph, I agree with you. Society is pathetic, and a lot of pathetic goons are meandering about, and that is specifically WHY I CARRY A GUN!

Originally posted by senselessness
reply to post by ManBehindTheMask

 

Go find the ENTIRE video, you posted a video that started in the middle. In the beginning he said 12 shot dead and 59 injured. Then he made a mistake and said 71 people shot.. he meant 71 victims... 71 people were NOT shot... and I'm going to laugh in your face when I prove you wrong.

71 people injured and 12 dead is enough, whatever the reason. It's not really very important in the scheme of things if you are right or wrong.

Just stop with the MK ultra stuff already, Unbelieveable people.

Originally posted by Shadow Herder

Originally posted by getreadyalready

Originally posted by Shadow Herder

Originally posted by SilentKoala
Prepare for more anti-gun laws and "domestic terrorism" propaganda...

I would love to see your stance on guns when someone guns down your loved ones.
I guess all we can do is wait and see.

Really? You think a pro-gunner would change their stance if a loved one was a victim of gun violence? I had two acquaintances murdered with a common kitchen knife, but I still use one for my steaks. I've known several people killed in car accidents, but I still drive one. I had a friend of a friend killed on a motorcycle just last weekend, but I still rode mine later that day.

You really think we ought to ban everything that ever killed anybody?

Then why is pot illegal?

The fact that guns are need by some shows the level of intelligence in this society has dropped. If you need to carry a crude projectile firing weapon then you or the people around you are pathetic goons who shouldnt even be breathing the same air as me.

So because someone carries a weapon means they are not intelligent? I suppose you consider yourself some pseudo intellectual eh? What about all the scientist, and professors and other brilliant minds that carry a concealed weapon, I suppose they are stupid too?

Crude projectile weapon? Thats called a sling shot.......

So people who have CC dont deserve to live is that what youre saying? So you would impose your beliefs on someone else because YOU dont agree with it......

Nice, sounds like just the reason people carry them.........good job helping him make his point....

People never should of been allowed costumes..

No one notices this guy in full combat gear>?

This event happened 15 miles from the Columbine Massacre shooting that occurred on April 20, 1999, 13 years and 91 days ago.
www.latimes.com...


en.wikipedia.org...

Originally posted by senselessness
reply to post by Valhall

 

You don't know what I know.

So don't tell me what I can and can not say or do.

Thanks.

F.Y.I. Most victims were treated for tear gas inhalation only, not gun shots. Go ahead and read this topic from the beginning for links to sources.

Do you understand the difference between first hand sources and secondary. ie, someone who was THERE and someone who just heard a report and is reporting it back?

This is terrible news. I cannot imagine the confusion of thinking this may have been a prop for the movie and then discovering with horror the reality.

But, I also want to say these type of events, that happen because someone is off mentally are great examples of why ATS members do not EVER need to offer advice of what psych meds another should or should not be on: for example- this thread:hallucinations after given a shot in the "quiet room" of a psychiatric facility in ky

I am not saying that the OP of this thread is capable of this type of event, however, I am most definitely advising everyone to treat any type of psych questions as it is: You do not know. Please, do not play doctor on this site.

I apologize for any possible derailing of your thread here, but as soon as I heard this news, it gave me the fear I felt when reading the other thread and people advising someone to stop taking their psych meds. This is ignorance in so many ways.

Originally posted by kosmicjack
reply to post by muzzleflash

 

IMHO, the member asked a good question. How did the victim's brother have time 1.) get notified in the chaos 2.) arrange flight to CO 3.) give on scene interviews and 4.) establish a memorial blog?

Nothing wrong with asking questions.

That's a really good series of questions.

Usually questions will glean us more information and understanding than mere statements will.
That is why I am a huge fan of the inquisitive approach.