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Gun attack at Batman film premiere in Denver [W:120]

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Unless Colorado has a law making carrying a gun illegal,
unless there was no one in the theater with a concealed carry permit,
then it does not follow that more liberal gun laws would have put a stop to the shooting.
This guy had every advantage in the world, no one going to that movie expected an ambush, heck, the police didn't even expect problems. The worst thing about this is the attacker has the advantage in situations like this, he had the prior knowledge of what he would do exclusively and planned the whole thing out. Just flat out disgusting.
 
This guy had every advantage in the world, no one going to that movie expected an ambush, heck, the police didn't even expect problems. The worst thing about this is the attacker has the advantage in situations like this, he had the prior knowledge of what he would do exclusively and planned the whole thing out. Just flat out disgusting.

Yes, that it is.
It doesn't seem likely that anything could have prevented the tragedy.

Unless we're willing to go through airport style security to see a movie. Even that might not work.
 
This guy had every advantage in the world, no one going to that movie expected an ambush, heck, the police didn't even expect problems. The worst thing about this is the attacker has the advantage in situations like this, he had the prior knowledge of what he would do exclusively and planned the whole thing out. Just flat out disgusting.

Although the trailer has now been yanked, one of the previews before the movie began showed a gunman shooting people in a darkened theater. According to one witness, when the gunman came back in the door, he thought what was being tossed were fake bats. People thought this was a hoax, a joke.

Bodies of dead removed from Aurora theater; 12 killed, 58 wounded - The Denver Post
 
Agreed. Of course that has nothing to do with gun policy. If more people had guns in the theater it could have just as likely been worse than better. What would have mattered wouldn't have been the number of guns but the person who had a gun. If every person in that theater was armed but an idiot at using a gun then we can be pretty certain that it would not have been a better situation. Simply owning a gun doesn't make someone qualified to use it.

While all this is supposition I am having trouble getting past this. If more folks had guns presumably they wouldn’t have used them unless there was a threat. The shooter identified himself a threat by shooting. IF a CC close to the threat had terminated him the shooting would have stopped thus preventing more/secondary shooting. Wouldn't this be better? Whatif it were a TM/GZ situation where the shooter was standing over a intended victim who shot in SD at close range? But of course you could have a chain reaction where each CC shot the previous shooter…Really?

Secondly, presume an off duty police officer were in the theatre. Many of them carry when off duty. Would he be derelict by not responding to the threat?
 
This guy had every advantage in the world, no one going to that movie expected an ambush, heck, the police didn't even expect problems. The worst thing about this is the attacker has the advantage in situations like this, he had the prior knowledge of what he would do exclusively and planned the whole thing out. Just flat out disgusting.

and its just not somthing we can not stop! If sick people want to carry out these kind of events we will always struggle to stop them unless of course we start posting armed police at cinemas, schools etc which I think most people on here would agree is a step in the wrong direction. The US would start to become more like the UK with CCTV on every cornor (big brother watching your every move).
 
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Although the trailer has now been yanked, one of the previews before the movie began showed a gunman shooting people in a darkened theater. According to one witness, when the gunman came back in the door, he thought what was being tossed were fake bats. People thought this was a hoax, a joke.

Bodies of dead removed from Aurora theater; 12 killed, 58 wounded - The Denver Post
I honestly would have thought something was up just for the fact that this movie didn't need any gimmicks, it was expected to do well. However I certainly can see why people at first would think the opposite, movies for the longest time have run promotions of all sorts.
 
properly trained marksman or not you can not guarentee that a stray bullet will not hit an innocent in a situation like that. Too many factors at play to be able to say outright that a marksman would of been able to end the situation safely.
Correct. You also can't guarantee that you won't get hit by a car. Or that you won't slip in the bathtub. Life has risks. I'm not saying that an armed veteran or three would have changed the course of events for the better, but it's silly to suggest that, in a gunfight, the best possible scenario is for one side to be unarmed.

Some would prefer to be led like cows to the slaughter, and that is their right. I would prefer to defend my life, also my right.
 
and its just not somthing we can stop! If sick people want to carry out these kind of events we will always struggle to stop them unless of course we start posting armed police at cinemas, schools etc which I think most people on here would agree is a step in the wrong direction. The US would start to become more like the UK with CCTV on every cornor (big brother watching your every move).
Yep. I think if we started to look at things like medications and trying to revive the nuclear family we could alleviate some of the problems, but even then I don't know how to accomplish that. I definitely don't want lockdowns everywhere I go and assume no one else wants that either.
 
Yep. I think if we started to look at things like medications and trying to revive the nuclear family we could alleviate some of the problems, but even then I don't know how to accomplish that. I definitely don't want lockdowns everywhere I go and assume no one else wants that either.

and as I have said before banning guns wont solve anything either people always find a way, just look at the knife crime rates in the UK.
 
Correct. You also can't guarantee that you won't get hit by a car. Or that you won't slip in the bathtub. Life has risks. I'm not saying that an armed veteran or three would have changed the course of events for the better, but it's silly to suggest that, in a gunfight, the best possible scenario is for one side to be unarmed.

Some would prefer to be led like cows to the slaughter, and that is their right. I would prefer to defend my life, also my right.

im a vet and if I was in that Cinema my first concern would of been my family and getting them to safety, Its hard to put myself in their shoes but I dont think I could of started engaging the gunmen until I got my family out of there.
 
I honestly would have thought something was up just for the fact that this movie didn't need any gimmicks, it was expected to do well. However I certainly can see why people at first would think the opposite, movies for the longest time have run promotions of all sorts.

I've also read that some theater-goers also wore costumes. If so, this could've added to the confusion. (I thought people only dressed up for "Rocky Horror.")
 
im a vet and if I was in that Cinema my first concern would of been my family and getting them to safety, Its hard to put myself in their shoes but I dont think I could of started engaging the gunmen until I got my family out of there.

There were a half dozen active military and reservists in the theater. But, a crazy person.. a criminal always has the advantage.
 
I read this online and I think it's spot on:

"The proliferation of guns, the lack of access to mental health services, a pervasive sense of isolation, glorification of violence in our society all create conditions that lead to such tragedies."



All the rest is meaningless and there is the answer

I believe Mr. Holmes may have had schizophrenia or some other mental illness which manifests itself in delusional thinking. He was isolative and withdrawn so it would have been difficult to detect and treat as he was not demonstrably violent or obtuse until this incident. He had stated he was the "Joker" as reported by the authorities.


I also generally agree with the above statement.
 
There were a half dozen active military and reservists in the theater. But, a crazy person.. a criminal always has the advantage.

exactly they are sitting with their family enjoying a film and when the gunfire starts those men/women are trying to get out and protect their families. You can train for war but nothing can prepare you for that.
 
I believe Mr. Holmes may have had schizophrenia or some other mental illness which manifests itself in delusional thinking. He was isolative and withdrawn so it would have been difficult to detect and treat as he was not demonstrably violent or obtuse until this incident. He had stated he was the "Joker" as reported by the authorities.


I also generally agree with the above statement.

I think so too.. and I think he was ASKED to leave school because he was so creepy and getting worse.
 
I've also read that some theater-goers also wore costumes. If so, this could've added to the confusion. (I thought people only dressed up for "Rocky Horror.")

sort of hard to hide a automatic rifle in a bustier and fishnet tights.

In college guys dressed up as various gangs for the movie THE WARRIORS

dudes with baseball bats, hockey sticks

even a Orthodox Jewish friend of mine in an expensive suit and a yarmulke was packing an evil looking switchblade.

while the cops showed up they quickly realized it was nothing and they were right

of course if I saw some guy in full body armor and a shotgun i'd know the crap was about to hit the fan
 
There were a half dozen active military and reservists in the theater. But, a crazy person.. a criminal always has the advantage.


The military and reservists were on leave, relaxing .... not fair to them or to anybody in that theater .... had they not been on leave the end story would have been different!

Criminals not always have the advantage!
 
if this guy is proven to be the killer should his organs be harvested to pay the victims back? seriously, he would owe over a billion dollars in civil suits. he cannot pay it

he's 24 and other than his brain, most of his organs are probably healthy. seems to be the best use of this mope
 
The military and reservists were on leave, relaxing .... not fair to them or to anybody in that theater .... had they not been on leave the end story would have been different!

Criminals not always have the advantage!

I disagree.. because they are in a different zone.. They have a plan and a weapon. I don't anticipate a crime every time I go to the bank or the grocery store or go for a walk or to the movies.
 
that would violate the Constitution's prohibition of cruel & unusual punishments.


well when the constitution was written he would have been hanged for this

in the federal system he would be executed so death is not cruel and unusual

so lets hang him (rather than frying or poisoning his organs) and then sell them off to help the victims

that doesn't violate the constitution
 
I disagree.. because they are in a different zone.. They have a plan and a weapon. I don't anticipate a crime every time I go to the bank or the grocery store or go for a walk or to the movies.


Different zone?

HUH?

what you talking about? sorry don't get it?
 
well when the constitution was written he would have been hanged for this

in the federal system he would be executed so death is not cruel and unusual

so lets hang him (rather than frying or poisoning his organs) and then sell them off to help the victims

that doesn't violate the constitution

why do you keep leaving out the whole "trial" and "conviction" part?
 
The military and reservists were on leave, relaxing .... not fair to them or to anybody in that theater .... had they not been on leave the end story would have been different!

Criminals not always have the advantage!

I agree with you Mya and as former military and law enforcement. I was vigilant and ready for the usual disturbances that may occur, but, I cannot say I would have anticipated the Holmes/Joker scenario. The best I could do under those circumstances would be to get people to safety and then try to figure out the situation.

If I was on duty it would have been a different story I would have been looking for this type of aberrant behavior and been equipped to deal with it.
 
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exactly they are sitting with their family enjoying a film and when the gunfire starts those men/women are trying to get out and protect their families. You can train for war but nothing can prepare you for that.

Thank you, Higgins.
 
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