Here is a look at the July 20, 2012, movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Twelve people were killed and 70 injured. On July 16, 2015, James Holmes was found guilty on all 165 counts against him: 24 first-degree murder, 140 attempted murder and one count of possession or control of an explosive or incendiary device. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Fatalities
(12 total)
Jonathan T. Blunk, 26
Alexander J. Boik, 18
Air Force Staff Sgt Jesse E. Childress, 29
Gordon W. Cowden, 51
Jessica Ghawi, 24
Petty Officer 3rd Class John Thomas Larimer, 27
Matthew R. McQuinn, 27
Micayla C. Medek, 23
Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6
Alex M. Sullivan, 27
Alexander C. Teves, 24
Rebecca Ann Wingo, 32
James E. Holmes
Birth date: December 13, 1987
Birth place: San Diego, California
Birth name: James Eagan Holmes
Father: Robert Holmes
Mother: Arlene Holmes
Education: University of California, Riverside, B.S. in neuroscience, 2010. University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, enrolled in 2011 as a doctoral candidate in its neuroscience program. Withdrew in June 2012.
Other Facts
Police say he bought the guns used in the incident legally at two sporting goods stores — Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain — and purchased more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition online.
Timeline
July 7, 2012 - Holmes purchases a ticket for the July 19 midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” at the Century Aurora 16 Multiplex Theater in Aurora, Colorado.
July 19, 2012 - Holmes enters theater #9 but soon exits through a rear door on the right side of the screen, leading to a parking lot. He leaves the door propped open and returns through it, according to a law enforcement source involved in the investigation.
July 20, 2012 - Eighteen minutes into the movie, shortly after midnight, Holmes opens fire into the audience. Holmes is “dressed head-to-toe in protective gear” – a ballistic helmet, protective gear for his legs, throat and groin, black gloves and a gas mask. Prior to opening fire on the crowd, he throws two tear gas canisters into the theater. Police say he used an AR-15 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and at least one of two .40-caliber handguns police recovered at the scene.
Holmes surrenders to police outside the theater within seven minutes of the first 911 calls, according to Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates.
Five buildings, including Holmes’ apartment building at 1690 Paris St., are evacuated after the suspect makes a statement to police about explosives in his unit. According to police, his apartment is booby trapped with a tripwire at the front door that would have touched off an array of explosives and flammable liquids.
July 21, 2012 - Investigators disarm all the makeshift bombs in Holmes’ apartment, using a “controlled detonation” to disable a second triggering device. The explosives removed include more than 30 homemade grenades and 10 gallons of gasoline.
July 23, 2012 - Holmes makes his first court appearance. He is ordered to be held without bond.
July 25, 2012 - Authorities discover an undelivered package from Holmes at the Anshutz Medical Campus mailroom. According to trial testimony, the package is addressed to his psychiatrist and contains a handwritten notebook which details plans for the attack, his obsession for killing, and has the question, “Why?” written several times in it.
August 1, 2012 - Denver station KMGH reports Holmes’ psychiatrist, Lynne Fenton of the University of Colorado, told colleagues in June that Holmes could be potentially dangerous to others, but before any action could be taken Holmes began the process of dropping out of the university.
March 27, 2013 - According to court documents, Holmes offers to plead guilty and spend life in prison in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
April 1, 2013 - The district attorney rejects Holmes’ offer, announcing that he will seek the death penalty.
May 13, 2013 - Holmes pleads not guilty by reason of insanity.
June 4, 2013 - A judge accepts Holmes’ plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Holmes will be taken to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo for evaluation.
July 10, 2013 - Attorneys for Holmes file an objection to the judge’s ruling that their client must be restrained during the trial, by means of a hidden harness anchored to the floor. In the filing, the attorneys concede that Holmes carried out the movie theater attack and say, “Mr. Holmes suffers from a severe mental illness and was in the throes of a psychotic episode when he committed the acts that resulted in the tragic loss of life and injuries sustained by movie goers on July 20, 2012.”
August 28, 2013 - Judge Carlos Samour rules that the victims of the shooting will be allowed to watch the trial proceedings despite the possibility they may be called as witnesses.
February 19, 2014 - Judge Samour orders Holmes to undergo an additional sanity examination, saying there was good cause to believe previous testing was “incomplete and inadequate,” according to a ruling.
December 19, 2014 - Holmes’ parents speak out for the first time in a written statement published by the Denver Post stating they believe the “death penalty is morally wrong, especially when the condemned is mentally ill.” They also believe that the attention should now be focused on the “injured and healing” and would like to avoid a “traumatic trial.”
January 20, 2015 - Jury selection begins. 9,000 potential jurors have been summoned.
April 14, 2015 - Twelve jurors and 12 alternates are selected. The group includes 19 women and five men. It’s almost entirely white and mostly middle-aged.
June 17, 2015 - For the fifth time in eight days, a juror is dismissed, with the judge saying the female juror was not forthcoming about having recognized a witness. Three jurors were previously dismissed because they reportedly discussed media stories about the case, and one was sent home after she changed her story to the judge about how her brother-in-law was shot in an armed robbery.
June 19, 2015 - The prosecution rests its case, calling as its last witness a victim who survived the movie theater massacre but lost her pregnancy and her small daughter.
July 9, 2015 - Holmes tells the judge that he won’t testify.
July 10, 2015 - The defense rests its case.
July 16, 2015 - Holmes is found guilty on all 165 counts against him, making him eligible for the death penalty.
August 7, 2015 - Holmes is sentenced to life in prison without parole when the jury is unable to reach a unanimous verdict as to whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison.
August 26, 2015 - A Colorado judge formally sentences Holmes to 12 life sentences, one life term for each person he killed, plus 3,318 years in prison for the attempted murders of those he wounded and for rigging his apartment with explosives. He is not eligible for parole.
December 4, 2015 - Holmes is ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $954,878.95.
May 19, 2016 - A not liable verdict is returned against Cinemark Cinemas in a civil trial. The lawsuit, filed by victims and family members of victims, alleged negligence on the part of the theater, saying it lacked adequate security.
September 27, 2017 - The Colorado Department of Corrections confirms that Holmes has been transferred to a federal prison. The next day he is listed at the Federal Correctional Complex in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. The location of his previous internment is not publicly available.
October 2019 - The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issue a Joint Intelligence Bulletin ahead of the opening weekend of the movie “Joker” after threats that reference the Aurora shooting are posted online calling for mass shootings at showings of the movie.
The public gets its first glimpse of James Holmes, then 24, the suspect in the Colorado theater shooting during his initial court appearance July 23, 2012. With his hair dyed reddish-orange, Holmes, here with public defender Tamara Brady, showed little emotion. He is accused of opening fire in a movie theater July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 70. Holmes faces 166 counts, almost all alleging murder or attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. More photos: Mourning the victims of the Colorado theater massacre RJ Sangosti-Pool/Getty Images 
Police release the official photo from Holmes' booking after the shooting. Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office 
Holmes often had a blank stare during his July 23, 2012, court appearance, seeming to be in a daze. 
Victims and their relatives and journalists watch the proceedings in 2012. 
Flags fly at half-staff on July 23, 2012, at the Arapahoe County Courthouse in Centennial, Colorado, where the movie theater shooting suspect had his first court appearance. The murder counts against Holmes carry a possible death penalty. Getty Images 
Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers talks to reporters July 23, 2012, before heading into the courthouse. The murder counts against Holmes carry a possible death penalty. Getty Images 
Family members of the victims arrive at the courthouse July 23, 2012, for the suspect's first court appearance. Getty Images 
The Century Aurora 16 multiplex in Aurora becomes a place of horror after a gunman opened fire July 20, 2012, in a crowded theater. epa/landov 
Holmes is accused of opening fire during a midnight screening of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises." Holmes purchased four weapons and more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition, police say. Courtesy University of Colorado 
Police investigate outside the Century 16 multiplex July 21, 2012, a day after the mass shooting. Getty Images 
Agents search the suspect's car outside the theater. Landov 
Aurora police escort a sand-filled dump truck containing improvised explosive devices removed from Holmes' booby-trapped apartment on July 21, 2012. Authorities have said they believe the suspect rigged his place before leaving for the movie theater. Getty Images 
Police break a window at the suspect's apartment July 20, 2012, in Aurora. Getty Images 
Law enforcement officers speak with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, center, outside the suspect's apartment July 21, 2012. AFP/Getty Images 
Law enforcement officers prepare to disarm the booby-trapped apartment July 21, 2012. Getty Images 
Officials tow cars outside Holmes' apartment July 21, 2012. Police disassembled devices and trip wires set up in the apartment. Getty Images 
Officers prepare to place an explosive device inside the apartment. AFP/Getty Images 
Debris flies out a window, right, after law enforcement officers detonate an explosive device inside the apartment July 21, 2012. AFP/Getty Images 
People mourn the victims during a vigil behind the theater where a gunman opened fire on moviegoers in Aurora. reuters/landov 
A woman grieves during a vigil for victims behind the theater. reuters/landov 
A distraught woman receives counseling from the Rev. Quincy Shannon, left, in front of Gateway High School in Aurora, where the families of the missing met after the shooting. AFP/Getty Images 
Lin Gan of Aurora holds back tears as she speaks to reporters about her experience in the Century 16 theater. AFP/Getty Images 
People embrace before a vigil for victims behind the theater where a gunman opened fire on moviegoers. reuters/landov 
Investigators work on evidence near the apartment of James Holmes on July 20, 2012. Getty Images 
Members of the Aurora Police Department SWAT unit walk near the Holmes' apartment. Getty Images 
Television news crews gather in front of the home of Robert and Arlene Holmes, parents of suspect James Holmes, in San Diego on July 21, 2012. Getty Images 
A popcorn box lies on the ground outside the Century 16 movie theater. Getty Images 
Adariah Legarreta, 4, is comforted by her grandmother Rita Abeyta near the Century 16 Theater in Aurora. epa/landov 
Jessica Ghawi, an aspiring sportscaster, was one of the victims. KSAT 
A woman waits for news outside Gateway High School, a few blocks from the scene of the shooting at the Century Aurora 16. Landov 
Aurora police chief Daniel J. Oates speaks at a press conference near the Century 16 Theater on July 20, 2012. epa/landov 
Agents search the trash container outside the suspect's apartment in Aurora. Landov 
A Federal ATF officer carries protective gear onsite at the home of the shooting suspect. upi/landov 
President Obama speaks on the shootings at a July 20, 2012, event in Fort Myers, Florida. AFP/Getty Images 
Moviegoers are interviewed at the Century Aurora 16. Getty Images 
Officers gather at the theater July 20, 2012. Getty Images 
Investigators were a common sight at the theater on July 20, 2012. Getty Images 
Authorities gather at the shooting suspect's apartment building in Aurora. Police broke a second-floor window to look for explosives the suspect claimed were in the apartment. Reuters/Landov 
Screaming, panicked moviegoers scrambled to escape from the black-clad gunman, who wore a gas mask and randomly shot as he walked up the theater's steps, witnesses said. reuters/landov 
Onlookers gather outside the Century Aurora 16 theater. epa/landov 
A woman sits on top of her car near the crime scene. epa/landov 
Police block access to the Town Center mall after the shooting. epa/landov 
Cell phone video taken by someone at the theater showed scores of people screaming and fleeing the building. Some, like this man, had blood on their clothes. from youtube 
Witnesses told KUSA the gunman kicked in an emergency exit door and threw a smoke bomb into the darkened theater before opening fire. KMGH 
What is believed to be the suspect's car is examined after the shooting. KDVRColorado movie theater shooting
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