At least 12 killed, 40 wounded in shooting at 'Dark Knight Rises' premiere

AURORA, Colorado

People gather outside the Century 16 movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., at the scene of a mass shooting early Friday morning, July 20, 2012. AP photo

Police were trying to disarm a flammable or explosive device at the apartment of a man suspected of killing at least 12 people and wounding around 50 at a movie theater showing the latest Batman film, "The Dark Knight Rises," Reuters reported.

Explosives appeared "very sophisticated" and police could be at the scene "for hours or days," Aurora police chief said.

The police department in the town of Aurora, Colorado, where the shooting took place, said there were "approximately 50 victims with at least 12 confirmed dead." Police had earlier put the toll at 14 dead with around 50 wounded.

U.S. law enforcement officials say the suspect in Friday’s deadly shooting in Colorado is 24-year-old citizen James Holmes. Holmes reportedly told the police there were explosives in his apartment after his arrest. Police have found his apartment to be booby-trapped and were trying to figure out how to disarm the explosives. 
 
Officials believe Holmes killed a dozen people when he fired into a crowded movie theater in a Denver suburb. He was wearing a gas mask and set off an unknown gas in the theater.
 
Holmes is in custody, and the FBI says there is no indication the incident is tied to any terrorist groups.
 
The federal law enforcement officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation

"APD Chief Oates will be addressing the media at 3:15 a.m. at the east entrance of the Dillards on the upper level," Aurora police department Tweeted on microblogging site Twitter. 

A masked gunman shot dead 14 people and wounded 50 others at a showing of new Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" at a movie theater in the U.S. city of Denver, local radio station KOA reported today, citing witnesses.

The radio station said a figure in a gas mask had opened fire at the showing in a mall in the suburb of Aurora and set off a smoke or tear gas bomb. It said initial police estimates were of 30-40 injured, according to Reuters.

According to witnesses, the shooter kicked in the emergency exit door in theater 9, threw some sort of disorienting smoke bombs and started shooting, local reports said. 

At least 50 people were injured after the shooting, NBC News reported today. University Hospital confirmed to 9NEWS the youngest patient they have in their care was 3 months old. That baby's condition is unknown at the time.
 
The shooting occurred during a screening of the film "the Dark Knight Rises" at the Century 16 movie theater, the report said.

One suspect was taken under custody, although police did not know if there were other shooters. A bomb squad was also sent to the movie theater.
 
The injured were sent to three separate hospitals.