He was reportedly thereafter moved to the Aurora are in fall 2011 to attend University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver. He was pursuing a PhD in neuroscience. But weeks ago, something changed.

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Unexplained tensions have reportedly surfaced in Holmes’ life, but those details are still unexplained. In June, Holmes dropped out of University of Colorado-Denver. When police went to his parents’ home in San Diego, police reportedly “escorted” Holmes’ father from the home while Holmes’ mother remained inside.

Lt. Andra Brown of the San Diego Police Department told news that the only reason for police around Holmes’ family address is to “make sure the privacy of the family is still respected.”

But residents who live near James Holmes in Colorado called his behavior peculiar. Some said that, when greeted on the street, he wouldn’t reply to another person’s “hello”. One resident told the Denver Post that James Holmes was a recluse and that “no one knew him, no one”. Holmes reportedly was part of the Graduate Neuro Science Program at CU Anschutz Medical Campus, officials tell news.

Yet, Holmes described himself in university application documents as a “quiet and easy-going medical student”. But when police went to see his home today, they found it filled with explosives, a poster of Will Ferrell in Anchorman, and a song on continuous replay. Police say the explosive inside his apartment were “very sophisticated”.

When Holmes arrived at the Century 16 movie theater before midnight today, he was dressed already with a gas mask and a bullet proof vest. When police responded to the theater, they couldn’t enter because of the nature of the gas that Holmes had dispersed.

Police still don’t know why Holmes was driving a Tennessee licensed plated vehicle. Holmes, himself, had no prior criminal record. But he allegedly plotted his attack, meticulously, police claim.

He arrived at the theatre during the late night showing of the new Batman film, the Dark Knight Rises. He plotted an entrance through a back door emergency exit. He entered in a pseudo costume. And he blasted a smoke bomb into the space to prompt confusion, to choke patrons, and obscure their visibility when fleeing. He then opened fire, on children, families, even military personnel. Two Air Force reservists, and one Navy service member were wounded during the shooting. Officials believe the death toll is currently at twelve individuals with thirty-eight persons injured. For continuing coverage, click HERE.

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Holmes is accused of first tossing a smoke device in to the theater. Victims were treated for inhalation thereafter. Police who rushed to the scene called 911 dispatch to report that they couldn’t enter because of the smoke. “Get us some d–n gas masks for theatre nine, we can’t get in it… there are people running out of the theatre who were shot” exclaimed one officer to Dispatch.

The nature of the gas still has not been detailed by medical officials to news. But local hospitals do confirm that victims described the smoke as having a numbing effect.

The concern for the smoke was so great that, shortly after the violence erupted, police sent to Holmes’ apartment SWAT, bomb squads, and medical teams. FBI agents first approaching his apartment entered through an exterior ladder. They proceeded to remove a glass from an exterior window and look inside.

Officials, moreover, evacuated several blocks around Holmes’ residence. Inside they reportedly found more firearms. Holmes reportedly lived on Paris Street between 16th and 17th avenues, inside apartment number 10. Investigators tell news that they found “possible explosives in his residence. We are dealing with that potential threat”.

Victims tell officials that they initially thought the smoke in the theater was part of the show. They claim that they saw a silhouette of the shooter through the smoke, standing near the front movie screen, brandishing a gun. “I told my friend ‘we’ve got to get out of here,’ but then he shot people trying to go out the exits,” Jennifer Seeger told NBC’s “Today.”

The death toll was revised down from 15 to 12 deaths. The number of injured is revised from 50 to 38 persons. The Aurora attack today was roughly 25 miles from the 1999 Columbine attack which left 12 students dead (photo above).

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But the shooter was prepared with firearms. He had with him three firearms and a bullet proof vest. He plotted his entrance and escape as well. He reportedly entered, not through the front door, but an emergency exit and then left out the back door to the facility’s parking lot. Other patrons have complained to local news about operations at the Century 16 movie theatre today.

One inside, the suspect used either a smoke canister or smoke bomb. He toss the smoke device during an action scene in the film, prompting patrons to yet again believing the canister was just one patron acting up. But then, with smoke obscuring visibility, the suspect began to randomly open fire, killing ten victims instantly.

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold also plotted their attack. The entered a crowded cafeteria carrying a TEC-9 semi-automatic pistol in 1999. Many of their victims were murdered instantly.

The Columbine attack was formative for how FBI and other agencies now prepare for non-terrorist, Lone Wolf, and young adult violent rampages. That attack prompted the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Education Department to investigate what prompts young adults to commit mass shootings. For the latest updates on the Aurora shooting, click HERE.

The white male reportedly entered the room dressed in what is being described to news as riot gear. He was wearing a helmet and brandishing as many as three fire arms including a rifle. But witnesses first heard and saw tear gas erupt.

Conflicting witnesses report describe the gas. Some witnesses tell news that they saw something similar to a canister sending gas into the theatre. Others call the situation a smoke bomb attack, claiming that they saw the suspect toss a smoke device across the screen while the movie was rolling.

Then, for unexplained reason, the suspect began to open fire. Police tell news that ten victims were dead at the scene. Five patrons died at local area hospitals. Fifty patrons are currently injured. Some of the victims are as young as six years old.

Thereafter, police arrested the 24 year old male white suspect in the theatre’s parking lot. Robots were used to examine his vehicle. Robots and bomb sniffing dogs were thereafter used to examine his local apartment. Police tell news that the suspect had Tennessee license plates. Police tell news that the suspect had three weapons with him inside the theatre, a rifle and two handguns.

The President was informed of the attack within the hour. He issued the following statement to news:  “We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family.”

The violence erupted shortly after 12:30 AM MDT inside the theatre. A news conference is scheduled for 11 am EST. But police earlier this morning briefed local news. “Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire,” said Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates.

Oates also told news “A gas mask, rifle, handgun at least one additional weapon (were) found inside” the victim’s car. The suspect’s name has not been released. UPDATE 5:02 AM PST: The death toll has been reduced from 15 to 12 individuals. For continuing coverage on the Aurora shooting, click HERE.