The last installment in the Dark Knight trilogy, Dark Knight Rises, came out in theaters last night at midnight. Batman fans flocked to theaters everywhere to see this epic conclusion on the big screen. However, one fan was apparently not ready for it to end. In Aurora, Colorado a 24 year old James Holmes, student at the University of Colorado came into the Century 16 Movie Theaters during the midnight release and began firing upon the innocent movie goers.

James Holmes was a Ph. D student from San Diego at the University of Colorado, pursing his degree in neuroscience. It was later found out that Holmes had dropped out from the University back in June after only attending the college for a year. During the midnight release, a man dressed in a bulletproof vest, a riot helmet, and a gas mask burst into the room and started throwing tear gas everywhere. After, he proceeded to go up and down the isles shooting people at random. Some survivors said it sounded like he never had to reload because the sound of gunshots seemed to go on and on. People ran in panic as the bullets came at them from this masked man stalking them through the smoke. At least 12 people were killed in the shooting as well as 50 or more injured.

Holmes’s attire strongly resembled that of the villain the movie, Bane. So some blame has been pointed at the malicious acts of terrorism known in the Batman movies as one of the inspirations for Holmes. During the Dark Knight Rises, there are scenes all throughout of the villain Bane blowing up buildings as well as him and his cohorts mowing down the innocent with weapons. Despite such scenes though, the movie shouldn’t be blamed for the maliciousness of one psychotic person. They are only providing the entertainment we love to see. Not trying to inspire murder.

When Holmes was apprehended in the parking lot by the police, he revealed that his apartment was laced with explosives if they tried to go in. The entire complex was evacuated and the apartment was found to be “elaborately” laced with explosives.

Warner Bros. Sends its condolences out to the families everywhere in this time of grief.