James Holmes bought his ammunition over the internet in Aurora shootings; Time for a reality check

I am watching the press conference of the Aurora Police Department over that horrific shooting that has already killed 12 people and injured 70 others. The suspect James Holmes apparently bought his ammunition over the internet, and it was all LEGAL under our laws here in the United States. Incredible. Time for a reality check. This is the latest details including raw video from the shooting. The mug shot of Holmes has not been released.

·         71 victims total – 12 of which are confirmed dead, 59 others injured.

·         10 victims died in the theater; 2 died later at area hospitals.

·         Victims were transported by police, ambulance and by personal vehicles to several area hospitals.

·         VICTIM IDENTIFICATION IS STILL IN PROCESS - THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS HAVE NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. Reasons being, this is still an active investigation at the crime scene.

·         APD HAS NOT RELEASED ANY INFORMATION OR NAMES OF VICTIMS. We ask that people respect the privacy of these families. Resources are being offered to victims and families.

·         Police have interviewed over 200 witnesses. Police have not been able to verify all witness statements at this time.

·         In cooperation with the investigation, The Aurora Town Center decided to close for the day.

SUSPECT

·         James Eagen Holmes (12/13/87)

·         No arrest booking photos will be released.

·         AURORA criminal record consists of only a traffic summons.

·         The suspect will not appear in court today.  We anticipate this will be early next week.

ACTUAL SHOOTING INCIDENT

·         How the suspect entered the theater is still under investigation.

·         Any motive is still unknown.

·         We are confident that the shooter acted alone. However we are following up on all leads.

·         The suspect deployed 2 devices in the theater. These devices released some smoke or some sort of irritant.

·         The suspect then opened fire.

·         First officers were on scene within a minute and a minute and half of the first 911 call.

·         Officers contacted Holmes outside of the movie theater by his car. He was arrested without incident. There were 4 guns recovered, one of which was in the theater. The guns included AR 15, shotgun, and two handguns.

·         He was outfitted in complete ballistic gear included a ballistic helmet, vest, shin guards, groin and throat protector. He also had a gas mask.

SUSPECT’S RESIDENCE

·         1690 Paris Street, Aurora. Which is an apartment building and all residents have been evacuated.

·         Still a very active scene. Several local, state and federal agencies responded to initial scene and remain active on the Paris Street Address.

·         The apartment appears to be “booby trapped” therefore no entry has been made by Law Enforcement. A robot was sent in and it appears there are several items and devices located within residence.

ANTICIPATED UPDATES

·         Press conference is set for 7 PM at the Aurora Municipal Center located at 15151 E Alameda Pkwy in the southwest parking lot.

·         If breaking news develops, media will be notified via Twitter (@aurorapd).

·         Intermittent updates will be post on Twitter “@aurorapd” and Facebook “Aurora Police Department.”

·         No independent interviews will be conducted at this time.

PHONE NUMBERS

·         Individuals wanting to report tips are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867).

·         Public line for victims and witnesses – 303-739-1862.

·         Media line 303-739-6103 and 303-739-6104.

·         Disaster Recovery Center: Aurora Mental Health, Red Cross, grief counseling, victim compensation, mental health assistanct and other resources will be available on site at Aurora Hinkley High School and Rangeview High School or via community hotline (303-617-2300).  STARTING TOMORROW, JULY 21, 2012, FROM 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

·         Evacuation Center: Aurora Central High School has been opened for the families that had to be evacuated from five apartment buildings in and around the suspect’s apartment. The Red Cross will be there to provide resources.

·         Further community resources will be made available and that information will be disseminated to the public later today.

·         Please direct offers for food donations to 303-739-6346. This is not for monetary donations. Thank you for your generosity