Tuesday 16 November 2021

Six teens are injured in drive-by shooting in Aurora park - eight years after gunman killed 12 in city's movie theater during midnight screening of Batman

 Colorado police are on the hunt for ‘multiple’ suspects after six teenagers were injured in a drive-by shooting on Monday in Aurora, which was the site of the 2012 movie theater massacre that killed 12 people.

The victims, aged 14 to 18, were wounded at Nome Park, which neighbors Aurora Central High School, police said.

‘I need us all to be outraged by what happened here today,’ Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson told reporters. 

Investigators recovered various calibers of bullets from the scene, leading them to believe multiple gunmen opened fire, although no arrests had been made as of Tuesday morning.

Witnesses recalled hearing upward of 50 gunshots as students fled the park at around 12:45 p.m. Monday, Fox 31 reported. 

Colorado police are on the hunt for ‘multiple’ suspects after six teens were injured near an Aurora high school Monday afternoon

Colorado police are on the hunt for ‘multiple’ suspects after six teens were injured near an Aurora high school Monday afternoon

Investigators recovered various calibers of bullets from the scene, leading them to believe ‘multiple’ gunmen opened fire

Investigators recovered various calibers of bullets from the scene, leading them to believe ‘multiple’ gunmen opened fire

None of the students suffered life-threatening injuries, though one underwent surgery

None of the students suffered life-threatening injuries, though one underwent surgery

School resource officers applied a tourniquet to two injured teenagers, one of whom was taken to a hospital for emergency surgery, Wilson said, adding that none of the victims suffered life-threatening injures. 

The victims were a 14-year-old boy, a 15-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old boy, police said. None of them has been named. 

A nurse who lives in the area heard the barrage of gunfire and rushed to the victims' aid. Speaking to KDVR, she described the conditions of some of the wounded.  

'One was shot in the arm. Her arm was injured badly. Another boy was shot in the back and on his leg,' she said. 'So, we did put a tourniquet on his leg. Applied pressure on his back, tourniquet on the girl’s arm. Another girl had multiple injuries on her back.' 

Chief Wilson said her heart dropped when she learned of the shooting.

‘Enough is enough,’ she said. ‘We need to come together as a community. This is not all on law enforcement. We need to get through to our kids and figure out a way to stop this.’ 

Aariah McClain, 15, told the Associated Press she heard gunfire while walking on the school campus during her lunchbreak.  

'I was shocked,' she told the outlet. 

Evette Mitchell, whose 15-year-old son attends the school, said the neighborhood lacked affordable activities to keep kids out of trouble.

'Everything costs,' she told AP. 'We’re all low-income families so it’s hard for us to find something for these kids to do.'

‘The most important function of government is the protection of its people and I strongly believe that public safety must always be the top priority for this city.’

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman issued a statement following the shooting.

'My prayers are with the injured and their families,' he tweeted.

‘As the facts surrounding this incident become known, I look forward to hearing from our Chief of Police and from our District Attorney about what actions will be taken to apprehend and prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, those responsible for this incident.'

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman issued a statement following the shooting, saying his ‘prayers are with the injured and their families'

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman issued a statement following the shooting, saying his ‘prayers are with the injured and their families'

Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said that six Aurora Central High School students were shot at Nome Park Monday afternoon

Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said that six Aurora Central High School students were shot at Nome Park Monday afternoon

Aurora, Colorado, was the site of the 2012 movie theater massacre, where James Holmes (pictured in court) killed 12 people during a midnight screening of Dark Knight Rises

Aurora, Colorado, was the site of the 2012 movie theater massacre, where James Holmes (pictured in court) killed 12 people during a midnight screening of Dark Knight Rises 

On July 20, 2012, James Holmes, dressed in tactical gear, barged into a midnight screening of Dark Knight Rises at Century 16 movie theater in Aurora and opened fire on the audience, killing 12 and injuring 70 others. 

It was the second deadliest shooting in Colorado after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. 

Holmes was later convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to 12 life sentences.  

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