The Dark Knight Rises, the highly anticipated return of Batman, premiered across the U.S. last night to anxious fans. Batman enthusiasts, old and young, flocked to the premiere last night at midnight to enjoy the latest installment in the Batman series.
Not all the premieres brought joy, however. A masked gunman opened fire during a premiere in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and injuring at least 50 others. Motives for the shooting are unknown, but witnesses say the shooter threw a can of tear gas then began shooting during a shootout scene in the movie. Attendees describe the scene as “mass chaos,” and most weren’t sure if the shooting was real or part of an act put on for the premiere. Witnesses also stated that the gunman shot anyone who tried to escape.
A suspect has been taken into custody and police are working to piece the events together. Warner Bros. studio has canceled the Paris premiere of the movie, which was scheduled to include a press conference with the main cast members.
Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families. What was supposed to be an exciting and fun event turned tragic because of the poor choice of one individual.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Do you think this situation could have been avoided, and if so, how? Should movie theaters have better security, or should they enforce stricter standards for premieres? Share your opinions with us!
-Sam