+287 You're not sure how the Aurora shooting should be handled. On one hand, extra security would ease the minds of moviegoers, but on the other hand, you realize that once it starts, it's not going to stop. You can't help but imagine how life would be if we were searched before stepping foot into any establishment. We should all be and feel as safe as possible, but one man shouldn't alter the way we function. amirite?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Exactly. One man on the radio said he thinks the movie should be pulled from all over the world. We can't let something like this rule the way we live, and it's highly doubtful the movie inspired this tragedy.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Yes. It was an isolated incident. Across the country, in New York City, police are guarding the theatres showing The Dark Knight Rises in fear of copycats. People don't need that panic, and they definitely shouldn't have nicknamed the guy Joker. They're creating this unnecessary fear and taking away peace of mind.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I thought he was calling HIMSELF the Joker?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Agreed. The extra security makes people feel that they should be scared, rather than letting them decide for themselves.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I think Bane would be a more apt nick name

by Anonymous 11 years ago

He did nickname himself The Joker. According to the newscasts I heard, he was heard several times declaring "I am The Joker." I don't know how reliable that information is, but at least it wasn't Fox News. And there actually is reason for the police to fear a copycat. Several serial killers have had copycats, making it that much harder to find the real one and then also having to catch the impostors. That doesn't really apply to this situation since he was taken from the scene, but my point was that there are copycat criminals. But I still agree with you that this ordeal is being made into a kind of wildfire of panic.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Adding on to my earlier comment, I think the extra security is definitely unnecessary. I was just pointing out that copycat criminals are a real problem, just not very often.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

On top of that, we'd be paying for this "extra security" with our own taxes. Buying a ticket at the cinema would shoot up from its already high pricing.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It's so ridiculous how they seem to be focusing the security at theaters anyway. It happened at ONE THEATER. It's just as likely to happen any where else, like a grocery store.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

A couple years ago, my mom and I were at Joann's and we were right at the front of the store - she was getting a cart and I was looking at the items right in front of the store and all of a sudden this guy comes running into the store (in my direction) with a bunch of police men running after him, and I think he had a gun on him. The police had to tase him and he was handcuffed and everything. Apparently he and some other guy were taking stuff over the span of a few days (mostly the jewelry items) going into the bathroom, taking the stuff out of the packaging and stealing all those items. My mom and I were traumatized for so long. But this just goes to show that scary incidents like this can happen ANYWHERE, even at an innocent little place like Joann's.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The shooter was outside, and a person inside the theater(a customer) let him inside through the emergency exit.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Makes you wonder if that person was an accomplice or just wrong place wrong time. If so, man what guilt.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I'm curious as to why their isn't any information about that man. If he had a phone call, he could have stepped in the theater's lobby. It's strange to go through an emergency exit for just a phone call.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I thought he propped open the emergency exit and came back.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Anon,i agree. I've never known anyone to use those doors.you'd think the person indeed would've gone into the lobby instead. I bet well find out more asp things go on

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What happened?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

A man opened fire at the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises at a theater in Aurora, Colorado (US). Right now police are at his apartment, which is heavily boobytrapped. Currently, 12 are dead and 72 are injured.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

12(?) people died and like 50 were injured when someone started shooting in a movie theater in Colorado.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Am I the only one that finds it mildly amusing that the Joker answered that question, and the movie was The Dark Night Rises?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57476424/aurora-shooting-witnesses-describe-panic-chaos/

by Anonymous 11 years ago

k_ninja: The gunman also nicknamed himself The Joker. That's actually very creepy when you think about it, even though you know it isn't actually him answering...

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Let's not forget one of the reasons this happened is because the American government is so accepting of guns and firearms to the point where virtually anyone can get their hands on one. Why do they still let people carry guns around so freely? For security, of course. I know it's a right that dates back to the founding fathers, but just because they thought it was a good idea doesn't mean we have to.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

We follow the constitution. All our laws are based around it (ok not all, but we follow what's said in there) And they don't expect EVERYONE to shoot up a movie theater, they think most will just have it for self defense or security

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Well I'm all for limiting gun use because I see the potential danger but I also understand the reason for that amendment. If authority figures (police, Secret Service, CIA, etc.) are the only ones allowed to carry guns, there is the possibility of misuse of that authority, and the people need to be able to protect themselves from that. I just find it very hard to come up with laws that would ensure guns aren't misused and also ensure that people have their proper right to them.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Do you have that much trust in our government to let them have complete control over guns? They do more good than bad but no one wants to here those stories on the news.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Citizens having guns have the potential to misuse them and government officials with guns have the potential to misuse them. Either way bad stuff can happen. Who's to decide which one is more trustworthy than the other? In the end they're all just people.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I don't understand why this comment was downvoted so much. Is it really necessary to be able to own guns for protection? Wouldn't it just be easier to have heavier restrictions on gun ownership in the first place, so that you wouldn't need protection (as much?) Sorry if I sound naive; I live in Australia and access to guns here is very limited. I have never met a single person who owns a gun before. So coud someone explain why Americans are so pro-guns?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

America really isn't as gun-happy as some make it out to be. Yes, there are certain regions where everyone and their pastor pack heat on their way to Sunday mass, but I would say the majority of the country is gun-free (save for some hunters, criminals, and law enforcement.)

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Ah. I guess I was just going off on what I know. I always hear things in the news about the misuse of guns in America, and since nothing like that happens in Australia (or at least, it isn't shown) I came to the conclusion that America was 'gun-happy'. Still, that's not an unreasonable assumption to make, because I know for a fact Australia has much tighter laws on gun ownership, so in a way America IS 'gun-happy' - relative to Australia, at least.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Our country was built on revolution and rebellion, they needed guns to do so. It's in our constitution and we believe it's a person's right to have a gun and carry it

by Anonymous 11 years ago

How about more stringent gun laws? Seems fairly obvious to me.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Guns aren't the only problem, though, and it's easier said than done. Not to mention, the people who want to use guns to harm, are usually the people who would get their hands on one whether it's legal or not.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Last I heard it was unknown whether he carried the gun legally or not, so no, more stringent gun laws would not have stopped him. You think someone who decides to shoot up a theater is going to be concerned with the small matter of getting firearms legally?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The news is on as I type and - apparently - he purchased all three of his guns legally, and he obtained all of his ammunition from the internet. I think that's even scarier.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

@hairyleo I think I'm watching the same news. Weird.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

My best friend was supposed to be in that exact theater at the midnight showing, but her grandmother who she's staying with decided they should see Avengers instead (at an earlier time). She could've been killed if she was there. Scary.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It is simply mind-blowing how one simple decision can change someone's life and in this case, potentially save someone's life. It is so fortunate that they didn't go to that movie, and I'm glad they're ok

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Thank youl

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It's terrifying, and this guy had no criminal history besides a parking ticket. He was getting his doctorate degree and dropped out of the program a month ago, possibly to plan the shooting.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Soon, movie theatre security would be tighter than airport security, just because it's such an easy place to injure people -- it's so dark in there, there is a large density of people, and one can easily slip through the crowd.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What happened is tragic, but I don't want to end up having to go through a metal detector whenever I go to a theater, mall, restaurant, etc.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

This sort of stuff makes me think hard about the person's state of mind. It's so hard to come to terms with. Does that mean we're all potential killers? He seemed so normal.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

It definitely is unsettling, but seeming normal on paper and being normal can be two very different things apparently. I don't think we're all potential killers, it's just that some killers are, at first glance, normal.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

People can have double personalities, like Dr, Jekyl and Mr. Hyde; or they can fake their personality and have murderous thoughts in their minds.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I realize this was a terrible situation, but it's sad extremes like this are what it takes to get everyone's attention. There was a shooting at my local movie theater months ago, and my friend witnessed people being shot while lying down in the lobby. This aroused no fuss. I don't think more security is really the answer. I think gun control oughta be more strictly enforced though.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What's the Aurora shooting?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

My friend has always had a fear of movie theaters because she thought it was always the perfect place for a crime. She legitimately has never been to the movies. I used to think she was crazy. Not now.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I agree with you. We shouldn't sacrifice freedom for safety...it's kind of frightening, though, because the panic reminds me of the Joker: "I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I turned it on itself. Look what I did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. 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 an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It's fair!"

by Anonymous 11 years ago

The joker was definitely a terrorist, and I thought his quotes in the movie, however sad, to be very true. It's just a shame that people think that way and just want to see people suffer.

by Anonymous 11 years ago