Batman massacre: Gunman in gas mask kills 12 people and shoots child at late-night screening of The Dark Knight Rises

 
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A masked gunman killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 50 as they watched a midnight showing of the new Batman film.

The six-foot man wearing a gas mask and bullet-proof vest threw tear gas into the cinema packed with children and families before casually opening fire on the terrified audience.

The man then walked up the stairs of the Century Movie theatre in the suburb of Aurora and opened fire at random at the screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Denver, Colorado.

Aspiring television presenter Jessica Ghawi was among the victims.

The bullets were so powerful that some burst through the wall into the next cinema.

Witnesses said a nine-year-old girl was hit in the stomach and a three-month old baby was wounded. Police were seen carrying the body of a girl from the building.

Desperate movie-goers ran for the exit, dozens of ambulances, police cars and FBI vans surrounded the area.

Officers later seized a 24-year-old suspect in the cinema's car park who was named by the FBI as James Holmes.

Local media said his only previous offence was a parking ticket.

An assault rifle and two handguns were found on his person.

The suspect told police he had explosives at his apartment in a northern suburb. Police later confirmed the apartment was booby-trapped.

Today, President Barack Obama said he was "shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting".

Aurora police chief Dan Oates said:"This is a horrific event. Our hearts go out to the families. I'm not sure what else I can say. Witnesses tell us that he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and gas emerged.

"We found the gunman in the parking lot at the back in possession of a gas mask, a rifle and a handgun. The shooting went on for some time.

"The suspect in custody made a statement about possible explosives in his residence. We have evacuated his building and we are dealing with that".

The cinema had been full of children and teenagers, many of whom had queued since 10am to get tickets for the summer blockbuster that opens in London tonight. Some of the children were dressed in Batman costumes.

The film was about 30 minutes in and at a shootout scene when the emergency exit of Theatre Nine burst open. The audience thought at first it was a publicity stunt as a dark figure wearing what looked like night-sight goggles approached the screen.

Then there was a sound like a "little explosion" as the tear gas was thrown and there was a mad dash to the exit.

The gunman, firing dozens of shots, is then thought to have hit cinema eight next door where a nine-year-old girl is believed to have been shot.

By 1am police had been called to reports of gunshots. As the violence unfolded, one female moviegoer posted terrified tweets trying to find her friend.

The comic book fan, named only as Caitlin, sent the following messages in short succession.

"I'm outside, one of my friends is still inside. No one knows what's going on" she wrote. "Oh God, I don't know what to do. Everybody please pray for my friend Alex."

After police ordered the evacuation, terrified parents gathered to try to find their missing children. An emergency centre was set up in the car park and 50 were rushed to local hospitals.

US President Barack Obama said in a statement: "All of us must have the people of Aurora in our thoughts and prayers as they confront the loss of family, friends, and neighbours, and we must stand together with them in the challenging hours and days to come."

"Federal and local law enforcement are still responding and my administration will do everything we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time.

"We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded.

"As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family.

"All of us must have the people of Aurora in our thoughts and prayers as they confront the loss of family, friends, and neighbors, and we must stand together with them in the challenging hours and days to come."

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