Movie Shooting Suspect Was PhD Student

The alleged gunman at an Aurora, Co theater earlier today has been identified as PhD student James Holmes, who recently withdrew from his neuroscience studies at the University of Colorado before shooting up “The Dark Knight Rises” screening. Aurora Police Department Public Information Officer Frank Fania says he was still at the scene when officers arrived.  He was spotted behind the theater and arrested.  The shooter was apparently wearing a bullet proof vest and a gas mask.  At least three weapons were reportedly used, two longrifles and a hand gun.

Holmes, 24, moved to Aurora to pursue his PhD at the University of Colorado medical center, living just blocks from the hospital in an apartment that is now laced with explosives and being searched by Haz-Mat teams.

Holmes killed at least 13 people and injured as many as 50, including U.S. military members, during the midnight premiere of the movie at the Century 16 Movie Theaters in Aurora early this morning. He barged into the theater mid-show, setting off smoke bombs and stalking up and down the aisles firing weapons at viewers.

He was captured by police in the parking lot while still wearing a bullet-proof vest, riot helmet, and gas mask. He warned police that his Aurora apartment was booby-trapped, leading police to evacuate the apartment complex. They were working this morning to gain entry to and diffuse the apartment, which they said seems to be “elaborately” rigged with explosives.

“The pictures we have from inside the apartment are pretty disturbing considering how elaborate the apartment is booby trapped,” police said outside of the apartment complex today. The “flammable and explosive” materials could have blown up Holmes’ apartment building and the ones near it, police said.

The apartment complex is home exclusively to University of Colorado Medical Center students, patients, and staff members.

Police said 10 victims died inside the theater, while dozens of others were taken to local hospitals, including a child as young as 6 years old.