Central Oregon reacts to Colorado theater shooting
Law enforcement officials told CNN the man charged in a shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater dyed is hair red and told police he was the Joker.
James Holmes, 24, burst into a midnight showing of the new Batman movie and opened fire early Friday morning.
“There was a moment where my daughter tripped and I just pulled her up and I was just dragging her,” said Patricia Legarreta, a victim of the shooting. “I was just thinking, ‘We’ve just got to get out — I’ve just got to get out the door.”
It was a scene of terror during the moments after Holmes threw two devices that exploded and filled the room with smoke, at which point Holmes opened fire.
At an afternoon press conference, officials said 12 people had been confirmed dead and another 58 people were injured.
“Everyone I talked to all day is filled with an anger that can’t find focus,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Late Friday, police released more details about the guns Holmes had purchased. They said over the last 60 days he bought four weapons, including a .223 caliber assault rifle. Police added he bought rifle and more than 6,000 rounds of ammo online. One order was for a 100-round drum magazine for the assault rifle that was recovered at the scene.
“I’m told by experts that with that drum magazine, he could have gotten off 50 to 60 rounds even if it was a semi-automatic semi-automatic, in one minute,” said Dan Oates, Aurora police chief. “As far as we know, it was a pretty rapid pace of fire in that theater.”
As news of the tragedy spread across the country, condolences for the victims and anger towards the man accused of the horrific crime lit up social media and news Websites.
On KTVZ.com, one user wrote, “What’s needed is somebody to restore calm to the community of Aurora. A person that can easily unite people and a common cause and truly bond.”
Another wrote, “My only question to James Holmes, as I am sure many are asking, is, ‘Why? And ‘Because I could’ is not a viable answer.”
Friday afternoon, Bend police said these type types of events are always on the minds of their officers.
“It’s a tragic situation It just goes to show that it can happen anywhere and Bend is not immune. It can happen here,” said Capt. Cory Darling.
Police officers say that’s why they train for an “active shooter situation” every year.
“it “(The training) just gives our officers that presence of mind to be thinking about how they’re going to be reacting to a situation like this and planning it out before it actually happens,” said Darling.
As the stories of those lost in Friday’s tragic events emerge, the investigation into a motive behind the deadly shooting will continue.
In the meantime, grief councilors will be on hand starting Saturday morning, to help those in need, traumatized by the Friday’s events.
