S. Samuel
The man reportedly responsible for killing a dozen Dark Knight Rises Colorado moviegoers and injurying many more allegedly had "racially-charged" feelings toward hip-hop.
According to reports, 24 year-old James Eagan Holmes especially did not like rap star Lil Wayne.
Near the scene, another neighbor, Rachel Reed, 25, recalled seeing Holmes a number of times on the stoop, with his backpack. A couple of months ago she ran into him at the Zephyr, where she had put a Lil Wayne rap song on the jukebox. Holmes disapproved, she said, preferring rock ‘n’ roll music. He came over and “made some racially charged comments about rap,” she said. “He seemed like he was a normal dude,” she said. “He was a little buzzed.” (Reuters)
While not a fan of hip-hop, Holmes is reported to have an interest with Batman.
The tie between the Colorado shooting and Batman was clear after the shooter called himself the Joker. However, other Batman paraphernalia found at the shooter’s apartment proves the tie was unmistakable. It took authorities a while to neutralize James Holmes’ apartment. That was thanks to the many booby traps the shooter rigged to prevent such entrance. However, once they got dismantled, police were finally able to get inside. Here’s what they found: A Batman poster hung the wall. There was also a mask of the Caped Crusader easily visible, along with other Batman paraphernalia. Beyond that were the materials and equipment necessary to build the various devices meant to kill anyone attempting to the enter the home. (Gather)
Following last week’s Colorado massacre, President Barack Obama issued a statement on the tragedy.
“Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado. Federal and local law enforcement are still responding, and my Administration will do everything that we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time. We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family. All of us must have the people of Aurora in our thoughts and prayers as they confront the loss of family, friends, and neighbors, and we must stand together with them in the challenging hours and days to come.” (Statement)
Reports of the fatal shooting spree surfaced online early Friday (July 20).
Earlier Friday, 24-year-old Aurora resident James Holmes was named as the suspect who shot at least 14 people dead and wounded dozens more. Police caught him in the parking lot of the Century 16 Movie Theaters; he claimed he had explosive devices in his apartment, which led to evacuation of buildings in the area. (The Hollywood Reporter)
