Man Kills 12 People By Opening Fire In Movie Theater During Showing Of ‘Dark Knight Rises’

12 people were killed and 38 wounded when a gunman opened fire during an early Friday morning screening of the new Batman movie, Dark Knight Rises, at an Aurora, Colorado, theater, Police Chief Dan Oates told reporters.

The heavily armed suspect, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, was apprehended by police in a rear parking lot of the theater, reports CNN.

Police seized a rifle and a handgun from the suspect, and another gun was found in the theater.

The mass shooting occurred during the showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” at the Century Aurora 16 theater in Colorado. “People were running and screaming,” reports CNN affiliate.

The smoke smelled like a Fourth of July firework, said CNN iReporter Adam Witt. It took a few gunshots before he figured out what was going on.

“There were so many people running,” he said. “I didn’t look back. I just remember getting up from the floor and shouting, ‘We have to run.’”

The gunman used some sort of “smoke device” before opening fire in the theater. He kicked in an emergency exit door and threw a smoke bomb into the darkened theater before opening fire.

Of the wounded, at least 20 were being treated at the University of Colorado Hospital, said spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery. All of the wounded suffered from gunshot wounds, which ranged from minor to critical, she said.

One police officer carried a girl believed to be about 9 with gunshot wounds to her back out of the theater, a witness said. “She wasn’t moving.”

President Barack Obama said he and first lady Michelle Obama were “shocked and saddened” by the shooting and pledged the administration’s support for victims of the shooting.