Batman Premier Shooting in Colorado

[(=DK=)Samonuh]

I've been in a car all day, so I didn't hear about this until now. Very sad, and especially tragic due to its already infamous location.

[11_Panama_]

Metal detectors at the theater would keep this ccw patron at home.

I'm pretty sure he like went through from the back. And with how loaded he was I don't think anything short of a bullet would have stopped him. I don't even know how he was captured. Was he out of ammo?

He sat in his car waiting for the police.

[THEWULFMAN]

This guy is a mixed bag of nuts that's for damn sure. Damn sure. Thanks for filling me in Panama.

[Shalandai]

This guy is a mixed bag of nuts that's for damn sure. Damn sure.

I find that the psychopathology of the shooter is certainly highly interesting; even the scant details made available to the public are quite potentially revealing to a mental profile. Every aspect of his mentality is, in a way, uniquely predictable, as he bears many hallmarks of a disorganized killer suffering from mental illness. Reports and details available to the public show no obvious signs of sexual sadism or sociopathy, but they do indicate potential working diagnoses of psychopathy or schizophrenia.

In either diagnosis, proper medical treatment and/or hospitalization would have prevented the attack; similarly, information available does not present the profile of a repeated or serial offender, but rather, using layman terminology... an average individual with a mental illness who just 'snapped'.

A bachelor's degree in neuroscience and no reported criminal record; raised in an apparently non-abusive environment, played soccer, and ran cross-country. Described as shy and intelligent.

So a sudden turn towards violence at this stage in his life, with no previous indication, therefore suggest a previously undiagnosed psychopathology; without more details, he could range all the way forward to an overt lapse into schizophrenia. An obvious stressor would have precipitated these events; many news outlets are reporting that he graduated in 2010, returned to school in 2011, but dropped out last month. So it was an event in that final month (or the drop out itself?) that would have triggered the onset of his mental illness.

From all indications and news reports, he took no pleasure in the killing, no sadistic acts; rather, he is described as marching the aisles in a 'soldierly' fashion. He also used a large number of defensive and protective measures - body armor, smoke grenades and mask, and a booby trapped apartment. It is only logical to conclude, therefore, that this was not a 'blaze-of-glory' shooting in which he expected to be taken down in a hail of bullets. He wanted to live through this, wanted to survive.

The victimology shows no signs of sexual inclination or sadism; similarly there is no reported distinction or pattern in the targets of the rampage. Therefore, it appears as the goal was in the inherent carnage itself. The shooter's apartment was excessively booby-trapped to prevent against intrusion; the shooter arrived at the theatre wearing body armor and a gas mask, in addition to carrying a surplus of weaponry.

After the shooting ceased, he surrendered himself to police without struggle or incident. Without more details, this could have been a sign of remorse; it could have been an acute level of self-awareness rendered by the brutality of his attacks. It could have been resignation - success related?

So he went to a movie theater armed for warfare and surrendered himself to police afterwards. Why?

Too many details are missing, but the only logical conclusions to draw from a psychological standpoint is: he had a previously undiagnosed mental illness that became active resulting from a stressor in the last month. Breaking down into what appears to be 'paranoid delusional state', it is feasible that he went to the movie theater thinking that he was facing some enemy or great evil that he had to defeat, further evidenced by his conduct inside and during the shooting. He surrendered himself to police afterwards, though there are too many possible reasons for this to properly speculate.

The questions I would really like to see answered:

- what happened in that last month to have precipitated this?
- how long was he preparing for this? how long has he had the necessary equipment (body armor, smoke grenades?)?
- in his delusional state, what enemy did he believe he was facing?
- why target that specific theater and show room?
- why target that movie?
- what was he feeling to cause him to surrender?

I am very curious to know more.

EDIT: I do think that the situation itself is far more frightening than the actual shooter. The apparently random choice of his target is intensely worrying (setting aside future ramifications of his actions). I really would prefer not to have to sit and wonder about this happening the next time I go to a movie theater, and the irrational part of me is strongly considering waiting for this batman film to come out on video rather than watching it in theater. Perhaps, in retrospect, to have had such a widespread emotional impact was his intended goal. The shooter did, after all, have a degree in neuroscience.

[FaiL.?]

I find the most saddening part of this event (Well, one of the saddening parts) Is that when the tear gas "Rolled" into the Theatre, the viewers thought that it was Special effects gas for the New Iconic film.

The people probably assumed the smoke was a prank. I don't think anyone would have imagined what would follow.

I heard in the paper that the victims (Some) Thought is was a special effect for all the exciting action scenes.

[THEWULFMAN]

Wow Shalandai. I am seriously impressed if you wrote all that yourself. I mean I know a little bit about psychology, but damn. Several hundred respect points for you. And I concur.

[(SWGO)Max]

yes, many people said they thought it was special effects. the youngest was three months old ill find source later. yes idk that is very odd taking a 3 month old... i mean what happened to baby sitters? the kid is a doctrinal student. he dyed his hair red and said that he was the joker. he had a smoke bomb and he was wearing a gas mask. having open carry would NOT help in this situation. he had a smoke bomb. you cant see through a smoke bomb to shoot in a dark theater, that's why he was randomly shooting.

[THEWULFMAN]

having open carry would NOT help in this situation. he had a smoke bomb.

That just means it'd be harder to hit him, but he had to have been visible at times(he was aiming at people trying to run, he had to have been able to see them). Someone in the theater armed could have possibly saved a lot of lives. You can aim for the muzzle flashes. It wouldn't have been impossible, far from it.

I intend to get a gun and learn to shoot well. Then carry it with me constantly (except at home) because you never know when the proverbial poo hits the fan. You can just be watching a movie, and bam. You're dead. Very tragic, a lot of these people had long lives ahead of them. I'm sure a lot of loved ones are grieving. [poo] like this shouldn't happen.

[Shalandai]

Wow Shalandai. I am seriously impressed if you wrote all that yourself. I mean I know a little bit about psychology, but damn. Several hundred respect points for you. And I concur.

I actually have a very strong interest in psychology and behavior, and as I believe I have previously mentioned, very shortly I will begin the process to specialize in the area of Canine Psychopathology. Yes, they are different species, but in order to get that specialization, I require the groundwork for understanding and working with psychology, which means taking classes focused on human behavior first.

[THEWULFMAN]

Well that's pretty awesome, and explains why you knew so much. :) Good luck with that.