US Cinema Shooting Kills 14, Shocks Obama
Local Editor
At least 14 people were killed and some 50 wounded Friday when a gunman opened fire at a crowded cinema premiere of the latest Batman movie in the US state of Colorado, police and media said.
Witnesses interviewed by local media described a scene of chaos at the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," saying the gunman had set off tear gas bombs and opened fire in the packed theater in Aurora, a suburb of Denver.
"Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister," said Aurora police chief Dan Oates. "They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire."
Ten people were killed at the scene and another four died later at local hospitals, he said, adding that police had arrested the alleged gunman and that there was "no evidence" of a second, after earlier reports of two shooters.
Oates said the suspect had claimed to have explosives at his residence and that the apartment complex where he lived had been evacuated and was being searched.
Police spokesman Frank Fania told CNN the suspect was in his 20s, wearing body armor and armed with a rifle and two handguns, adding that he had set off some kind of smoke device in order to sow panic.
US President Barack Obama said he was "shocked" by the mass shooting.
"Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado," he said in a statement, adding that federal and local law enforcement officials were still responding to the incident.
Dan Oates told a news briefing that 10 persons were killed on site and four others were later reported dead in area hospitals. At least 50 persons were wounded in the shooting at a showing of new Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises".
Dozens of police were at the scene, and the authorities evacuated the area while they checked if there was an explosive device in the area.
Source: news agencies, Edited by moqawama.org
At least 14 people were killed and some 50 wounded Friday when a gunman opened fire at a crowded cinema premiere of the latest Batman movie in the US state of Colorado, police and media said.
Witnesses interviewed by local media described a scene of chaos at the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," saying the gunman had set off tear gas bombs and opened fire in the packed theater in Aurora, a suburb of Denver.
"Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister," said Aurora police chief Dan Oates. "They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire."
Ten people were killed at the scene and another four died later at local hospitals, he said, adding that police had arrested the alleged gunman and that there was "no evidence" of a second, after earlier reports of two shooters.
Oates said the suspect had claimed to have explosives at his residence and that the apartment complex where he lived had been evacuated and was being searched.
Police spokesman Frank Fania told CNN the suspect was in his 20s, wearing body armor and armed with a rifle and two handguns, adding that he had set off some kind of smoke device in order to sow panic.
US President Barack Obama said he was "shocked" by the mass shooting.
"Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado," he said in a statement, adding that federal and local law enforcement officials were still responding to the incident.
Dan Oates told a news briefing that 10 persons were killed on site and four others were later reported dead in area hospitals. At least 50 persons were wounded in the shooting at a showing of new Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises".
Dozens of police were at the scene, and the authorities evacuated the area while they checked if there was an explosive device in the area.
Source: news agencies, Edited by moqawama.org
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