OT- Dark Knight Rises Shooting

Submitted by Adrian on
Im on my phone so I cant link but last night in Denver CO a former military went into a midnight screening and opened fire killing 14 and injuring over 50 others. People thought the shooting sounds were part of the movie. Tear gas went off and everyone panicked. If you look at any youtube videos its crazy what went down. My thoughts and prayer go out to all the victims families.

Tater

July 20th, 2012 at 9:19 AM ^

The scariest thing about this is that Colorado, which is seen as a "mellow, laid-back" state, is now the site of two of the worst and most senseless civilian massacres in the US.  It's like a person can't even move to a place that is "safe" anymore without the threat of random violence.

AA2Denver

July 20th, 2012 at 10:22 AM ^

 

This could have happened anywhere...Virginia Tech, TX, etc...

The perception of Colorado being laid back should be reserved to mountain or hippie towns like Nederland, Buena Vista, and Manitou Springs... Colorado is like everywhere else, it's sad we've been through so much. Columbine happened in Littleton, think Novi. Last night was Aurora which in IMO is similar to Dearborn. 

I don't want to get into a gun debate here, but fuck guns.

 

MGoBosch

July 20th, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^

You're also leaving out the huge surge in gang violence in denver the last couple years. Denver needs to take a serious look at how it is protecting its citizens, and families need to take a hard look at the values they're teaching their kids.

I do not mean that as a condemnation of the people in colorado for one sick individuals actions, but Colorado is definitely changing, and not always for the better.

cozy200

July 20th, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^

To much pot going around for anyone to notice. Seriously though im all for gun ownership. But anything that can fire that many bullets in that amount of time should not be available to the public. Period. I dont believe its the "guns fault" but hence the idiot factor stated above the least amount of tools made available to them is all the better.

DenverRob

July 20th, 2012 at 10:50 AM ^

As a resident of Denver I have to say that there is a somber and embarrassing mood today. It is a laid back town but we have idiots just like everyone else.



It's been strange sending out texts to your friends just to make sure they weren't there.

sandman24

July 20th, 2012 at 9:22 AM ^

My buddy literally just moved to Aurora like a week ago, but I just talked with him and he wasn't indeed there and is ok.

The people of suburban Colorado have had to deal with far too much heartbreak.

triangle_M

July 20th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^

the irony is not lost on me.  I'm struggling with whether I go see the movie now.  I think this perpetrator just ruined this movie for millions.  I know its incredibly selfish to think this, but how is anyone supposed to see this film now and not be just a little unsettled and paranoid? 

M-Wolverine

July 20th, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^

The odds of it happening twice aren't that great. And people will have heightened awareness of oddness. Might be the safest movie to see. (I wonder how long before we have to go through metal detectors to see a movie. Sigh.)

On a more emotionally level, the movie is very much about not giving in and letting the terrorists win. If this loser changes how you act, you've given him power over you. And in some small way, he wins a little more.

But I'm not going to see a dime of the hundreds of millions it's going to make so I don't want to sound like I'm promoting the thing, any more than crazy dude was a big "Avengers fan" or something. Do what feels right to you. Just my 2 cents.

MileHighAnnArborite

July 20th, 2012 at 9:43 PM ^

Good 2nd paragraph.  Was supposed to go last night, and live only a couple miles from that theater -- although probably would have picked one slightly closer if there were tickets still available -- but ended up having to travel for work.  Was sort of thinking about skipping it altogether as I watch the news (not out of fear, just sadness), but I think you're right.

His Dudeness

July 20th, 2012 at 11:09 AM ^

It is relevant because there was a little gun rights tiff in a thread yesterday and now after the events of last night I wanted to see what he had to say now. Pretty coincedental, which I found to be worth a post. Then you guys don't find it funny because you would rather write something like "I'm so sorry this happened" because you think it is what you are supposed to do even though you didn't know any of the victims. Someone just got murdered while I typed this. You should really post something about how sorry you are. And then you should call out people for making jokes about it for the next week or two and then you should lighten your stance on it and then forget it ever happened all together in about a month.

turd ferguson

July 20th, 2012 at 11:34 AM ^

So your approach is much better: come online to gloat about how you were right.  You really are an asshole.

I'm one who believes that we usually learn more about human nature from the responses to these events than the events themselves.  With 300 million (or 6 billion) people, we're going to see a few lunatics who do awful, awful things.  A lot of people then conclude that "people are horrible," but these things also provoke countless sincere acts of benevolence, generosity, and sympathy.  If you're on MGoBlog from somewhere in Michigan, there's not much that you can do but come online and express your sadness and sympathy.  There's nothing wrong with that, and expressing sympathy here in no way prevents people from doing other positive things, too.

flysociety3

July 20th, 2012 at 11:47 AM ^

I just dont know why this has to be about a debate regarding gun rights. What about this event even proves a point about gun rights one way or the other???

It has to do with a sick, twisted individual that ended the lives of 12 innocent people and ruined the lives of hundreds more. I would like to think that human beings could collectively grieve over a situation that really causes some people to question a lot about 'people.'

I dont know anyone who suffered in the Holocaust... I cant be sorry that it happened and feel for anyone and everyone involved?

 

 

Roachgoblue

July 20th, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^

I am sure he registered his weapon before killing the innocent. We should have banned his guns and this would have never happened. Gun law debates are stupid. Criminals will never follow the laws. You sir are the hillbilly thinking like that still. I don't know how many times different societies have proven that. Just pray for the families.

HAIL-YEA

July 20th, 2012 at 10:18 PM ^

minus youre stance on guns...which even though my brothers shop got shot up by a guy with an ak47 last month, and there are supposed to be gun laws against those...i still really have no feelings either way on gun control. Its an impossible goal to achieve anyway. Everything else you said is pretty dickish but also true. I dont care what anyone says..thats reality.

Smash Lampjaw

July 20th, 2012 at 11:25 AM ^

We could have a thread like this every Monday for what happens in Chicago and Los Angeles every weekend. I am following this awful story more closely than most, perhaps because it is in the news everywhere, perhaps because it is suburban, or because Dark Knight Rises was showing. But I put forth this question to the MGOcommenters: what is it about this story that attracts more attention and more empathy than the senseless violence that takes place in major cities throughout the year?

MileHighAnnArborite

July 20th, 2012 at 9:49 PM ^

That, and I think the randomness of it too.  Although there are often innocent bystanders hit by stray bullets, etc., a lot of other violence in major cities has at least a more explainable reason behind it -- revenge, money, etc. -- and the parties seem to be aiming at specific individuals.  Those types of cases are easy to block out as being "somewhere else."  When things like this happen, it feels like it really could be the theater down the street from wherever you are (speculating a little, as it really is the theater down the street here).

triangle_M

July 20th, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^

The Joker's speech to Dent in TDK

Hmmm? You know... You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all "part of the plan." But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds! Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos.

I'm not making social commentary here.  But like the "some people just want to see the world burn" its just too close to home for my tastes.

M-Wolverine

July 20th, 2012 at 3:50 PM ^

It's not trite and it works because these movies are talking about exactly these issues, and the state of society today.

"Do I look like a guy with a plan?"

SalvatoreQuattro

July 20th, 2012 at 12:28 PM ^

are fairly common. Bath Massacre; Mountain Meadows; Ludlow, Colorado,'Rosewood; Colfax, La;, New Orleans Massacre; Tulsa City;St. Valentines Day Massacre; Pottawatomie Massacre..to name a few. I have purposefully left off government-led massacres like Sand Creek and Wounded Knee for they don't fit perfectly the point I am trying to make.

Here is a more comprehensive list of past US massacres, many of which occured 100 years or more before the current spate we have suffered since the late 90's.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_the_United_States

America is and always has been an extraordinarily violent country.  History confirms this. What is interesting is the widespread belief that someone it is an issue specific only to contemporary times. As the list and link above show, it is not. We are a fundamentally violent country.Why this is I have not a clue. But it is time we start to have non-partisan(wishful thinking I know) dialogue about this dark side of America. 

 

a non emu

July 20th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^

Sure, but as someone that grew up outside of America and moved here to go to Michigan, my impression is that society here in general is way more violent than most parts of the world. I have seen and experienced more violent crime here in the 6 years that I have been in the US than in the 20 I spent growing up around poverty and disparity in India.

The gun laws seemed insane to me when I first moved here. I work in an office from people from around the world (Europe, Asia, Africa) and they all share a similar sense of incredulousness. I know BISB doesn't want this thread to devolve into a gun control debate, but the truth is outside of maybe Syria or some other part of the world going through civil strife, your chances you dying of a "stray bullet" is probably the highest here. The officer who conducted self-defence training for women at my work place candidly admitted that it was easier to buy a gun than mace. What is the rationale for any Joe Schmoe to own an automatic assault rifle? If the intent is truly self-defence only sell pellets or tasers that can disable without killing. If you outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns yada-yada, but the fact is tighter control will make the barrier of entry much higher. It will be way more expensive and difficult to get guns and this kind of unlimited ammo on the black market with decent enforcement. Angry dude on the street who is pissed off because he got laid off won't be able to walk into some store and buy an AK-47 to blow up his office. There will still be shootings, and there will still be crazies, but make it much harder is my point. Make it harder and make it less deadly.

Roachgoblue

July 20th, 2012 at 8:00 PM ^

Everyone in Switzerland has a gun. Brazil has much more strict gun laws with ten times the crime. Norway had a much larger shooting and has extreme gun laws. Ever stop in Israel where there are guns everywhere with way less shootings like this? Your analogy is bullshit. I always hear gunshots here in the US..... Not. This guy was just a psycho and a gun law would not stop him.

TheFrigz

July 20th, 2012 at 12:43 PM ^

Waking up to this story was certainly sombering, my thoughts are with the families and those involved in the shooting.  I'll never understand what could make someone do something like this.

Louie C

July 20th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^

My workplace is abuzz with this and everybody is talking "crazy fucker this, crazy fucker that." To me, it seems that being "crazy" is just some cop out that almost excuses heinous acts of violence. When we look at most people that kill, whether it is a serial killer, a gang banger, or a mass murderer, they do it wantonly, and derive a sense of gratification from doing it. It's not because they weren't hugged enough, because they didn't take their meds, because "that's how it is in the hood", or because they spent too many hours playing Doom. There are just some people that are totally fucked up, plain and simple. My thoughts and prayers go out to these victims, and victims  of violence everywhere.

Call me hokey, but is it too much to ask to live in a peaceful existence without all this bullshit? I'm 32 and I've probably been to more wakes and funerals than my grandparents. I'm just really tired.

NorthSideBlueFan

July 20th, 2012 at 1:12 PM ^

in the house that she raised my wife in. The hospital that they took most the wounded to is where one of  my wife's best friends work. Scary. Needless to say, my wife is a little shook up today.

I pray for the killed and wounded along with their familes, and wish nothing but the most harsh and swift justice allowed for this homicidal maniac. So glad he didnt take his own life like the gutless Columbine killers

Stike A Pose

July 20th, 2012 at 4:25 PM ^

This guy is still as gutless as any other mass murderer, if not more.  He was shooting kids.  Shooting kids.  There was a freaking 3 month old that got taken to the hospital.  Not only that, but he was in basically full riot gear.  Gas mask, bullet proof from head to toe, throat and groain protectors.  This guy is the epitome of gutless.

I don't even know anymore...  I'm just so upset with this.  We can't go to the mall, we can't go to resturants, we cannot even go to the movie theater anymore without fear of some psychopath taking our life.

I would love one minute alone in a room with this guy right now.  I'll even let that coward put on all of his riot gear.

My thoughts are with all the vitcims right now.  70+ people shot for going to see a movie.  Unreal.

Micah_J_D

July 20th, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^

I'm curious where the OP got the information to say this guy was former military. I know many people who have served in the Armed Forces have gone on to do some crazy things like this before, but we dont need to be associated with everyone who commits these acts. I havent seen anything saying he was in the military yet, and since he was 24 and going for his PhD, i dont know when he would have had time to be in.

Any chance you can edit the former military part out OP?

Jskohl88

July 20th, 2012 at 4:50 PM ^

I've read from a couple sources that this guy told the police he was The Joker. It's been documented here a little how eerie some Joker quotes from The Dark Knight are and how they seem so relevant. I have to say the similarities between the Joker and this monster are becoming all too similar. Even right down to the little details, like giving himself up to the police, revealing that there were explosives in his apartment.

Also, MSNBC has a bunch of quotes from people who knew him, one of which said that he always rooted for the villains in superhero movies. Normally that's pretty irrelevant, but maybe not in this case.

Thoughts and prayers to all the victims, may justice be swift.

MgoblueAF

July 20th, 2012 at 7:16 PM ^

I live about 4 miles from the theater, and my wife sees a movie at that same theater about once/week. In fact, she saw a movie in Theater 9 this past weekend. Also, last night, she woke up from a nap at 11pm and was 50/50 on going to the premiere. I guess chances were on her side...