(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); AURORA, COLO. -- A gunman opened fire early Friday at a suburban Denver movie theater on the opening night of the latest Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises," killing 14 people and injuring at least 50 others, authorities said.

The gunman, who is in custody, stood at the front of the theater and fired into the crowd about 12:30 a.m. MDT at a multiplex theater in a mall in Aurora.

"Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire," Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said at a news conference.

Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed on the scene after frantic calls started flooding the 911 switchboard, officials said.

Officers came running in and telling people to leave the theater, Salina Jordan told the Denver Post. She said some police were carrying and dragging bodies.

Officers later found the gunman near a car behind the theater.

"A gas mask, rifle, handgun at least one additional weapon (were) found inside," he said.

The suspect was taken into custody, but no name was released. Oates said there's no evidence of any other attackers. There was also no immediate word of any motive.

The suspect spoke of "possible explosives in his residence. We are dealing with that potential threat," Oates said

Police were at the Denver-area apartment and had evacuated other residents of the building. Oates did not say whether any explosives had been found.

He said police also checked for explosives in the parking lot and at the Century 16 theater and secured those areas.

Moviegoers spoke of their terror as violence erupted and people around them fell victim.

Bejamin Fernandez, 30, told the Post that he heard a series of explosions. He said that people ran from the theater and there were gunshots as police shouted "get down!"

Frenandez said he saw people falling, including one young girl.

Jordan told the paper that one girl was struck in cheek, others in stomach including a girl who looked to be around 9-years-old.

Jordan said it sounded like firecrackers until someone ran into Theater 8 yelling "they're shooting out here!"

Hayden Miller told KUSA-TV that he heard several shots.

"Like little explosions going on and shortly after that we heard people screaming," he told the station.

Hayden said at first he thought it was part of a louder movie next door. But then he saw "people hunched over leaving theater."

The police chief said 10 victims died at the theater and four at area hospitals.

At least 24 people were being treated at Denver area hospitals.

Eleven people were being treated at the Medical Center of Aurora for gunshots and ranged from minor to critical condition. Two others walked in to be treated for tear gas contamination.

Denver Health had seven victims - one in critical and the rest in fair condition.

The youngest victim reported was a 6-year-old being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado, where a total of six victims were taken. Their condition wasn't known.

Two people in critical condition were rushed to nearby Swedish Medical Center, spokeswoman Nicole Williams said.

Aurora is on Denver's east side and is Colorado's third-largest city with 327,000 residents. It is home to a large Defense Department satellite intelligence operation at Buckley Air Force Base, as well as The Children's Hospital, the University of Colorado Hospital and a future Veterans Affairs hospital.

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Map locates Aurora, Colorado, where a gunman opened fire at a movie theater killing at least 14 people.
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Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates talks to media at Aurora Mall where as many as 14 people were killed and many injured at a shooting at the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., Friday, July 20, 2012.
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Police are pictured outside of a Century 16 movie theatre where as many as 14 people were killed and many injured at a shooting during the showing of a movie at the in Aurora, Colo., Friday, July 20, 2012.
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People gather outside the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., at the scene of a mass shooting early Friday morning, July 20, 2012. Police Chief Dan Oates says 14 people are dead following the shooting at the suburban Denver movie theater. He says 50 others were injured when gunfire erupted early Friday at the Aurora theater. Oates says a gunman appeared at the front of one of the Century 16 theaters.

So fucking sad this guy went to see the movie for his birthday now no one knows if he is alive or what here is his last post on twitter You must login or register to view this content.

Im sorry but if you didnt know everyone dies I personally didn't know a single one of them i sorry if you did but death happens...Get over it one day you'll be dead after 10-20 years you'll probably be forgotten just like 90% of the world get over it...Its a joke this is gonna kinda straight forward but if you take a joke seriously your doing alot wrong with your life.

Edit: also if he shot one of my loves ones i would of cried than go over it once someones dead there not coming back than keep carrying on with my life...

You are very ignorant my friend. You could one of the most disrespectful people I have ever came across. You have no sympathy for these people apparently, and you deserve to have your ass handed to you. Death is not a joking matter. You need to get a better understanding on morals. Furthermore, I'm doing everything fine with my life, so how dare you try and bring something that is none of your business up. Inconsiderate f*ck.

The guy must have had something mentally wrong with him to do that. Either that or he was on the drugs.

I have sympathy but you not getting the big picture SHIT HAPPENS LIFE GOES ON no matter how much you cry its only gonna bother you more if you think about it more.

Yes, i have seen this on the news. Tragic. News reports where I live stated that the gunman dressed up like the Joker (villain in batman) and at first victims thought the gas and dress the gunman wore was part of the movie, like some type of event/feature that came with the movie. Before the gunman opened fire, the news here also said, the gunman said to his victims " I am the Joker " and then started to open fire with an AR-15. News also stated that he calmly shot people and only stopped when he had to reload. They checked his apartment, and apparently had a timer for techno music to go off loudly, which would force neighbors to file a noise complaint bringing all police in the area across town to his appartment which had been booby trapped, so all police would be across town before he killed everyone in the theater. He's a bastard if you ask me. This is the worst shooting by a lone gunman since the Virginia Tech shootings where 32 were killed before that gunman killed himself. This is a shock and I'm sickened by this man. They're saying he had no criminal record before this and was a very smart honors student. It's crazy how his behavior could change so suddenly. All I can say is this is tragic, and rest in peace, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone wounded or killed, and to families of those involved in the massacre.

He didn't say award when he started shooting. Some of your info is false, such as dressing up as the joker. He had tactical gear on , gas mask, kevlar vest.

the news here said he died his hair to make it look like if he was the joker, i said dressed, my fault

Yeah, that pretty fucked up.