Gunman kills 12 (confirmed) at Batman DKR screening

[Formby]

I thought this summed it up rather well (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).

 

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/07/the_body_count.html

 

The record of mass shootings in the US since 2005 is 62 pages long and makes sober reading.

[Sibdane]

I have to admit I was a little offended hearing the "only in America" comment. All countries have their baggage. People tend to over-generalize about the USA, so I've become less affected by it as time goes by. Yes, we have a gun culture here. It's hard to overlook that, but people seem to forget how large and diverse the US population is. When you have more people -- and different kinds too -- you're bound to have more events like this happen.

 

Regardless, what saddens me the most is that this focuses attention away from the actual tragedy. No one is perfect when it comes to being politically correct ALL THE TIME. Just hoping the families of the victims recover and can move on to living a normal life again.

[EFC-Paul]

Fuck sake calm down you drama queen I very much doubt Pris meant to offend it's a very common terminology for crying out loud.

 

The FACT of the matter is that alot if not most of publicized shootings such as this are in America hence why people use such terms.

 

It's a tragedy and as Mike says how can buying such a mass amount ammo and so on just slip through and go unnoticed......crazy

Edited July 22, 2012 by EFC-Paul

[Zoo]

Don't see how people should be getting offended about the 'only in America' message. It's clear that these things happen everywhere but obviously they happen a lot more in the States - it's a pretty mental bit of news and one which you hope won't happen again, I've heard that Warner Bros. have cancelled a few of their screenings to stop copycats from doing the same thing again.

 

Apparantly he's calling himself 'The Joker' which is pretty silly considering he's been arrested after his first (and only) bit of terror.

[marcopaulo]

Don't see how people should be getting offended about the 'only in America' message. It's clear that these things happen everywhere but obviously they happen a lot more in the States - it's a pretty mental bit of news and one which you hope won't happen again, I've heard that Warner Bros. have cancelled a few of their screenings to stop copycats from doing the same thing again.

 

Apparantly he's calling himself 'The Joker' which is pretty silly considering he's been arrested after his first (and only) bit of terror.

 

and he was dressed as batman

[Dalziel Kane]

These events can happen anywhere...

 

as demonstrated, that today (22 July) in the one year anniversary of the killings in Oslo, Norway, where another gun massacre took place and 77 people lost their lives one year ago today, so our thoughts go out to them too.

 

I still don't know quite what this prick in Colorado was doing. Dressed as Batman, calls himself 'The Joker' and goes and shoots up a movie theater? should have done himself a favor and turned the weapon on himself. RIP once again to all the families involved who lost loved ones on account of this 'individual' and his nonsense antics. Same goes for Norway also.

 

Let's be careful out there.

[Zoo]

Bit silly too because he blasted out techno-music in his booby-trapped apartment so that he could kill a few people there too in an explosion. He stopped his own scheme however because all of the police were responding to the cinema-911 call and therefore were unable to respond to his apartment.

 

I'll be interested to see how his trial turns out on Monday however, I'd like to see his reasons for the killings.

[marcopaulo]

he's mental..that's the reason..the reason most people kill is cos they're fuckin nuts..i'd throw um all in a pit

[Zoo]

he's mental..that's the reason..the reason most people kill is cos they're fuckin nuts..i'd throw um all in a pit

 

Oh yeah, I agree. I'm just wondering what he's actually going to say. Yanno whether he's going to come out and say he did it just because he hates the world or whether he says he did it because he believed that 'God told him to'. You always get some load of insane bollocks whenever these maniacs are put on trial.

 

What is the law in Colorado btw? If found guilty will this young chap face the death penalty? Or will he just be locked away in a cell?

[Romey 1878]

I think someone said earlier in the thread that they have the death penalty.

[marcopaulo]

a quick google says only 1 man has been sentenced to it since the 60s..and that was 15 years ago so who knows..would be thoroughly deserved

[Dalziel Kane]

We plan to go to Hungerford next month for the 25th anniversary event, it's not really so much morbid, just to go up and pay our respects and just to be there where it happened and take in the experience, however you want to word it. I don't know if I'll be around for the 50th, so a quarter century is a nice milestone, probably make a weekend of it. I just have an interest in these kind of things.

[Sibdane]

Paul, I hope you're not talking to me regarding the "drama queen" comment. If anything, I was sticking up for pris but also understanding where Ryan is coming from based on my being American.

[Sibdane]

Don't see how people should be getting offended about the 'only in America' message. It's clear that these things happen everywhere but obviously they happen a lot more in the States - it's a pretty mental bit of news and one which you hope won't happen again, I've heard that Warner Bros. have cancelled a few of their screenings to stop copycats from doing the same thing again.

 

Apparantly he's calling himself 'The Joker' which is pretty silly considering he's been arrested after his first (and only) bit of terror.

 

It's all about perspective.

[Zoo]

Did anyone see the bits of the trail that they showed on the news? I get CNN in my hotel room and they played and I have to say it was rather shocking, he looked dazed all the way through and at some points even looked as if he was asleep. The reports coming in too are that he did not say a word during the whole process (not even to his lawyer).

 

I think he's mentally disturbed, police are saying that he is acting in prison 'as if he is playing the role of someone in a film', seems to me that he actually does believe he is The Joker as opposed to saying it just to be a dick.

[Dalziel Kane]

This kid, who did the atrocity, not only has red hair of all things (or was it orange), hasn't slept since the night of the attacks apparently. He even tried to get bail of all things, but that was soon put to bed. If you look at him, he looks ordinary enough, the hair color is a bit questionable, but as always, the people who do these fucking things, to look at them, you wouldn't think too much about it. The chair or lethal injection due to Colorado state laws stlll applies, but they have yet to make a decision. This kid believes he truly is a character from a cartoon rather than just be a damn whacko of all things, maybe get off with a plea of insanity but we'll have to watch this situation closely.

 

I've about had my fill of all things fucking Batman and Dark Knight the last few weeks, but however irritated I felt, never felt the urge to go on a rampage. Doesn't take much to trigger one individual off to do something stupid.

[Zoo]

This kid, who did the atrocity, not only has red hair of all things (or was it orange), hasn't slept since the night of the attacks apparently. He even tried to get bail of all things, but that was soon put to bed..

 

Ironic.

 

Got a lot of Christian Bale after all this too, he's flown to Colorado and spoken with all the victims and had photos with them. For me that's really good and I'll always have respect for the guys now, most people would just release a statement whereas Bale seems to have gone that extra-mile to keep these people going, good on him.

[StevO]

He gets a lot of bad press for being a tool when the camera is off, but i'm sure hes been effected by whats happened. Hes done a good thing here.

 

This guy needs nothing other than the death sentence.

[Lowensda]

This guy needs nothing other than the death sentence.

 

Who Bale?

 

 

 

 

[Dalziel Kane]

He gets a lot of bad press for being a tool when the camera is off, but i'm sure hes been effected by whats happened. Hes done a good thing here.

 

This guy needs nothing other than the death sentence.

 

I'd maybe rather have him incarcerated for 30 years or however long they deem sufficient in a state penitentiary. Just snuffing out his life in an instant seems too merciful. Some of those jails over there are tough places. Let him do hard labor even until he's an old man, that would be more of a punishment maybe than a swift execution. I don't want to trivialize the incident, but once again, to look at him, he just doesn't seem the kind you would expect for such an atrocity. I mean I couldn't take him quite seriously to look at him, but appearances will be deceptive..

[Zoo]

I don't want to trivialize the incident, but once again, to look at him, he just doesn't seem the kind you would expect for such an atrocity. I mean I couldn't take him quite seriously to look at him, but appearances will be deceptive..

 

I was exactly the same, he looks like a young, decent fella. Obviously he's got a screw loose but he just didn't seem the type, I'd have him executed because it'll cost the American tax-payers money to keep him in the jail and its giving him a life that he's taken away from the innocents. I know what you're saying but I think that a life in prison is far better than no life at all.

[Sibdane]

I have a feeling he is faking in court. He was studying neuroscience before he dropped out. Makes you wonder if he took a few pointers from some textbooks.

[pete0]

I have a feeling he is faking in court. He was studying neuroscience before he dropped out. Makes you wonder if he took a few pointers from some textbooks.

Think this is the key reason. Not being able to mentally compete in his area of study, he may of flipped a switch in his head having nothing left to live for 'Falling Down' moment, or angry at the world bollocks. No excuse though, he could have regrouped or started elsewhere, but he chose to murder innocent people with a calculated plan. He's fully to blame no doubt, maybe counseling should be more widely encouraged for drop outs as a precautionary measure, but the murders in this case rest solely on his shoulders.

[Dalziel Kane]

If this had happened in the UK, there would be no death penalty, that was abolished in the 1950s, bit more lenient over here, regardless of crimes, then the kid would most likely end up at Belmarsh, or even Broadmoor, if it is determined criminally insane, which I don't know, maybe seems unlikely, still don't know the full reason for this little burst of agressive behavior, but point being, said kid would have had all the comforts of home in a UK Jail, and a playstation and music center most likely, such is the level of 'punishment' in the United Kingdom for 'wrongdoers', Jail today here isn't much at all, all you lose is your freedom, get your free room and board and meals and just have a long time to think about your release date. Put your fucking feet up.

 

Most of the rampages throughout history, the perpetrator takes their own life at the end of it, obviously this time the Police were able to bring in him before he was able to harm himself, or did he just give himself up, don't remember all the details, but they are still deliberating over the consequences for his actions as I understand it. I still maintain it would be more of a punishment of a life sentence than just a quick execution. Give him plenty of time to think about his actions, and should have stopped and thought about the repercussions of his actions when he went equipped that night intent on harm.

 

as someone once said, 'There are worse things than Dying'.

 

Quite

[Zoo]

Most of the rampages throughout history, the perpetrator takes their own life at the end of it, obviously this time the Police were able to bring in him before he was able to harm himself, or did he just give himself up, don't remember all the details.

 

After he finished shooting he calmly walked out of the cinema to his car and gave himself up to the police (who by this time had burst into the building with shotguns).

[Louis]

Apparently a policeman is being interviewed after being warned by the shooter's psychiatrist about the possibility of erratic behaviour and not acting.

[Lowensda]

Easy to say though....erratic behaviour doesn't mean that they're going to go out and commit serial murder. I worked with disabled children and vunerable adults, most of them were said to have "erratic behaviour" but it certainly didn't mean calling the police for and there wasn't a need to watch over them?

 

Possibly looking for a 'scape goat?

[Dalziel Kane]

I'm more angry than most but the key thing is - is to control your emotions. Get those under control and you're half way to winning your battle, despite how ongoing it can seem. Yes, I get damn angry, have (sometimes) criminal intentions, could cause a serious problem, but it's one thing harboring some thoughts and actually putting them into action. As much as I feel like going on a rampage sometimes, It seems I could never actually do anything like the kid in Denver, or Dunblane or Hungerford even. Just get out of the angry vicinity, find a quiet place, and that anger will subside, can be difficult sometimes, but I've learned to control it for the most part. The Colorado killer may well have been a loon for all we know, seems more plausible than just mere anger or resentment. It seems over history to be more about crazies than mere irateness, although the Stonehaven killings a year or two back may be a reverse story. Probably a bit of both. Said it before, everybody has a limit.

[Matt]

I'm more angry than most but the key thing is - is to control your emotions. Get those under control and you're half way to winning your battle, despite how ongoing it can seem. Yes, I get damn angry, have (sometimes) criminal intentions, could cause a serious problem, but it's one thing harboring some thoughts and actually putting them into action. As much as I feel like going on a rampage sometimes, It seems I could never actually do anything like the kid in Denver, or Dunblane or Hungerford even. Just get out of the angry vicinity, find a quiet place, and that anger will subside, can be difficult sometimes, but I've learned to control it for the most part. The Colorado killer may well have been a loon for all we know, seems more plausible than just mere anger or resentment. It seems over history to be more about crazies than mere irateness, although the Stonehaven killings a year or two back may be a reverse story. Probably a bit of both. Said it before, everybody has a limit.

not to nit-pick, but there are conditions which prevent emotions from being controlled.

[Dalziel Kane]

I don't know about that, I've been largely successful in keeping my emotions in check, i.e. no dead bodies thus far or on trail awaiting sentance for my actions. By god, it's hard sometimes, but am aware at all times, the difference between right and wrong. You do that, and you'll be alright most of the time. Not so easy to get hold of firearms in the UK also, not as readily available as back home, but It's something I hope I never have to do.