#382: Dark Knight Rises Massacre - Neuroscience Student Says Killing People Will Cure His Depression

The tragic events of July 20, 2012, at the Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colorado, went down in history as an example of the shocking and senseless nature of mass shootings in America.

Description of the tragic events on July 20, 2012

The Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colorado, was hosting the midnight premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" when a gunman, heavily armed and wearing ballistic protection, opened fire on the unsuspecting audience. He began his assault by throwing a canister of tear gas before shooting at the packed theater. His preparation included parking his car at the back of the theater, gearing up in tactical attire, and propping open an emergency exit to facilitate his planned attack.

As the movie began, 400 fans were eager to be among the first to see the blockbuster film. But the excitement turned to horror as the assailant, originally seated in theater 9, re-entered after pretending to take a phone call, this time in full tactical gear, and unleashed a torrent of gunfire on the audience.

The attack ensued with rounds of gunfire, leaving 12 dead and over 70 injured. Victims suffered severe injuries, including paralysis, amputations, and chronic pain. The combination of the blaring film soundtrack, darkness, and tear gas heightened the chaotic atmosphere, making it challenging for moviegoers to comprehend what was occurring or how to escape.

Police and first responders arrived, facing the arduous task of navigating through fleeing victims to engage the shooter, who was apprehended at the scene near his car without resistance. He showed no urgency in his surrender, only displaying a smile when asked if there was another shooter.

Impact on victims, families, and the community

The immediately evident physical trauma was compounded by the psychological effects on the survivors, first responders, and the Aurora community. Survivors recall the chilling details of the incident, the struggle to survive, and the acts of heroism as some shielded their loved ones. The onslaught left families grieving for loved ones, like Gordon Cowden, who managed to tell his daughters he loved them amid the mayhem, and John Larimer, who died protecting his girlfriend, Julia.

Many survivors grapple with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and lingering physical disabilities. They also carry feelings of survivor's guilt as they question why they lived while others did not. Julia, for instance, suffers from severe PTSD and hearing loss, while Ashley was paralyzed watching the police carry her unresponsive daughter Veronica from the chaos of the theater.

The community's resilience shone as they supported the victims and advocated for changes in gun control. Individuals, like Alex Sullivan's father, who transformed personal tragedy into political action after losing his son on his 27th birthday in the massacre, stepped into leadership roles. He channeled his grief into advocacy, becoming a Colorado State Senator to fight for gun reform.

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The troubling psychology and motivations behind a horrific attack are scrutinized, revealing a complex interplay of detached emotions, visions of violence, and a chilling lack of remorse.

Bizarre and disturbing behavior leading up to the attack

The perpetrator exhibited a history of disturbing thoughts and a detachment from normal human emotions and connections. In the months before the attack, he outlined various methods of killing in a notebook, settling on a mass killing with firearms for its ease and ability to cause maximum casualties. The notebook detailed potential venues, ruling out airports and ultimately selecting a movie theater for its size and isolation. His preparations included a timer to play loud music from his computer, designed to draw someone into his booby-trapped apartment in the hopes of distracting emergency services and increasing fatalities in the movie theater. His apartment was rigged with explosives and he slept there with no fear of detonation.

The perpetrator expressed hatred for "sheeple" and admitted to his psychiatrist that he had frequent thoughts of killing, experiencing what could be hallucinations. He intensely guarded his thoughts for fear of being committed. In the interrogation room, he demonstrated marked indifference and peculiar behavior, such as fidgeting and throwing items. As his condition deteriorated in prison, he showed signs of thought withdrawal and engaged in self-harming and other strange behaviors, including smearing feces. His struggles with the meaning of life dated back to childhood, and he exhibited antisocial behaviors and peculiar habits, such as asymmetrical chewing. Intrusive thoughts of nuclear annihilation and decapitation were noted, as well as a God-like complex.

The perpetrator's twisted ideology and lack of remorse

The perpetrator held a nihilistic worldview, valuing human life not for its intrinsic worth but as a measure of "human capital" that could be increased through killing. He harbored a strong sense of superiority, viewing himself as unique and above the rest of humanity. Throughout the trial, his lack of emotion was stark, and he scrutinized evidence and victim impact statements without any visible sign of remorse. His writings and statements conveyed a narcissistic, God-like complex, with the belief that he was superior and had the right to decide life or death.

His psychiatrist documented his history of ...