UPDATE: 4:20pm EST
James Holmes the suspect at the center of the shooting that killed or wounded 71 people early Friday in a suburban Denver movie theater is not talking to investigators.
According to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, Holmes is staying extremely tight lipped on the shooting.
According to the Associated Press, the official spoke on condition of anonymity in discussing the ongoing case. The person also said police found jars of chemicals in James Holmes’ booby trapped Aurora apartment with wires nearby.
SOURCE: AP
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UPDATE: 2:00pm EST
Aurora CO Police Chief says 71 people were shot by suspect James Holmes, 12 confirmed deceased in a news conference today. Police also revealed that they interviewed close to 200 witnesses.
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UPDATE: 12:00pm EST
The suspected shooter Holmes, used at least four guns — an “AK type” rifle, a shotgun and two handguns, a federal law enforcement official told CNN. The official also said the shooter used tear gas.
Police quickly arrested Holmes in a rear parking lot of the theater, Frank Fania, a police spokesman.
“He did not resist. He did not put up a fight,” Fania said. Police seized a rifle and a handgun from the suspect, and another gun was found in the theater, he said. It was unclear where law enforcement found a second handgun.
Holmes was tentatively scheduled to appear in a Colorado courtroom on Monday, although no formal charges have been filed, according to the Colorado Office of the State Court Administrator.
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UPDATE: 9am EST
Holmes was dressed in all black with goggles and a helmet. Witnesses say he appeared to be at least 6′ tall. A number of victims are being treated for tear gas.
UPDATE: 8:15am EST
Aurora, CO police have revised the death toll in that mass shooting: they now say 12 people have died.
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UPDATE: 8:00am EST
Law enforcement sources identify the Aurora, Colorado theatre shooting gunman as James Holmes, age 24 (born 12/13/87). Holmes had TN tags on the vehicle he was driving, and his apartment was close to the theater.
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A crazed gunman opened fire early Friday at a Aurora, Denver movie theater on the opening night of the latest Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises, killing 14 people and injuring at least 50 others.
According to the Associated Press, the gunman, who is now in custody, stood at the entrance of the theater and began to shoot randomly into the crowd at about 12:30 a.m. at the Century 16 Theater at Aurora Mall in Colorado.
Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said at a news conference:
“Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire.”
Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed on the scene after frantic calls started flooding the 911 switchboard.
Officers found the gunman near a car behind the theater.
“A gas mask, rifle, handgun at least one additional weapon (were) found inside,” said Oates.
Officials did not release the suspect’s name but he was taken into custody; there was no evidence of any other attackers and no immediate motive.
The suspect spoke of “possible explosives in his residence. We are dealing with that potential threat,” Oates said, without providing details on where that was.
The police chief said 10 victims died at the theater and four at area hospitals.
Two people in critical condition were rushed to nearby Swedish Medical Center, spokeswoman Nicole Williams said.
She said emergency crews told her staff to prepare for several more patients from the shooting scene.
The youngest victim reported was a 6-year-old being treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where a total of six victims were taken. Their condition wasn’t known.
Aurora is located on the southeast outskirts of Denver, about 10 miles from downtown.
