Aurora. I'm the insensitive one! Here come the screams!

[walt629]

Without a doubt the happenings in the Aurora movie theater was a horrific event. My heart and prayers go out to the families of the dead and to the survivors and their families that will relive the horror that they experienced. No one should ever have to go through what they did.

Does anyone else besides me marvel at the planning and preparation that maniac went through to accomplish what he did?

He must have been planning this action for some time. Lord knows it wasn't a knee jerk decision to go shoot up a movie theater.

He scoped out the theater.
He purchased the weapons from 3 different stores to minimize the arousal of suspicion.
He purchased level II tactical armor, not an easy feat in todays world of big brother watching every purchase.
He developed the munitions and explosive technology he deployed at his apartment in and effort (in my opinion) to maximize the secondary collateral damage of second wave responders at the investigative level. Lord know what destructive and deadly toxins a neuroscientist could concoct.
He chose a soft target with minimal, controlled escape.
He chose the target according to the venue at the theater so that his attire would not draw attention until it was too late to take action against him.
He choose the soft target with the "No Guns Allowed" mentality of the theater so the possibility of him running into opposition would be minimal.
He deployed flash bang/smoke grenades on either side of the theater to disorient the crowd and to ensure panic.
He was methodical and maniacal in the execution of the plan.

If it weren't for the fact that he is a criminal crazy, some would consider him a tactical genus. He had darned near every aspect worked out for his assault. I don't want to glorify this bastard in any way but you have to admire the planning and execution that went into this heinous assault.

I know, to some I'm a sick bastard for thinking so but get past the emotion and look at the reality of it all. There was some serious planning going on.

 

[creatism]

Actually come to think of it you make a very valid point. He's sick and a total pyscho but that's pretty smart.

 

[Numenor]

I believe that the Aurora PD is working on making this exact point to help minimize the chance of an insanity defense.

 

[localgirl]

He thought he was the Joker. He pretty vested in that whole persona.

 

[fuhr52]

The sad truth is some bleeding heart liberal lawyer will try and make the case no sane person would do such a thing, so he must be insane. In my opinion this crime wreaks of domestic terrorism. This guy should be tried as a domestic terrorist and go the way of Tim McVea.

 

[Kalamity023]

He thought he was the Joker. He pretty vested in that whole persona.

While this may be true, the police chief of Aurora never specified a motive. The idea that he thought himself The Joker was perpetuated by the NYPD commissioner; more than likely in the same breath as mayor Blumberg's call for stronger gun control. While this explanation makes sense to me, I'd still like to see a more official report. Trusting any official from NYC, especially on an issue where they have a vested interest, is not the most prudent thing.

 

[walt629]

The sad truth is some bleeding heart liberal lawyer will try and make the case no sane person would do such a thing, so he must be insane. In my opinion this crime wreaks of domestic terrorism. This guy should be tried as a domestic terrorist and go the way of Tim McVea.

Not that I've been waiting with bated breath for every news cast, but I haven't heard much outcry for the domestic terrorism angle. it's almost like the new media is down playing that angle.
Terrorism or not he should still be made to take the McVeigh path to hell.

 

[jknight4652]

Well you bring a very valid point, his attack was planned out. But, no citizen with a CCW carrying that night would have been a match for the fire power used.

 

[50SR9]

Walt629,
My son and I had that exact discussion earlier this evening. When you are not emotionally involved with the situation, you are allowed an objective view. Yes, the piece of sh!t had everything planned well. To the extent, in my opinion, of someone trained in such tactical movements. So, no I don't/won't blast you for saying that.
My sympathy and condolences are unmeasurable for the families of the involved. But a black and white look at what happened shows you the planning that took place. I hope they fry the bastard toot sweet. That would be much to lenient in my opinion, but the hangman's gallows have long been gone.

 

[the dark]

The sad truth is some bleeding heart liberal lawyer will try and make the case no sane person would do such a thing, so he must be insane. In my opinion this crime wreaks of domestic terrorism. This guy should be tried as a domestic terrorist and go the way of Tim McVea.

I think any defense attorney will make that argument...liberal heart bleeding or not. That is what they do. I don't anyone would hire one who said"Sure, my client is guilty, fry him!".

 

[araczynski]

sorry, but i wouldn't call any of that 'tactical genius', just well thought out. i'm just curious why he gave up at the end when the cops showed up. i mean he couldn't have been thinking "i'll give up now, and plea 'temporary' insanity (only been planning it for a month), write a book about it, get rich!". what's the point of the booby trapped apartment if you're just going to tell the cops "oh yeah, be careful in the apartment, there's things that might hurt you there."

 

[the dark]

Without a doubt the happenings in the Aurora movie theater was a horrific event. My heart and prayers go out to the families of the dead and to the survivors and their families that will relive the horror that they experienced. No one should ever have to go through what they did.

Does anyone else besides me marvel at the planning and preparation that maniac went through to accomplish what he did?

He must have been planning this action for some time. Lord knows it wasn't a knee jerk decision to go shoot up a movie theater.

He scoped out the theater.
He purchased the weapons from 3 different stores to minimize the arousal of suspicion.
He purchased level II tactical armor, not an easy feat in todays world of big brother watching every purchase.
He developed the munitions and explosive technology he deployed at his apartment in and effort (in my opinion) to maximize the secondary collateral damage of second wave responders at the investigative level. Lord know what destructive and deadly toxins a neuroscientist could concoct.
He chose a soft target with minimal, controlled escape.
He chose the target according to the venue at the theater so that his attire would not draw attention until it was too late to take action against him.
He choose the soft target with the "No Guns Allowed" mentality of the theater so the possibility of him running into opposition would be minimal.
He deployed flash bang/smoke grenades on either side of the theater to disorient the crowd and to ensure panic.
He was methodical and maniacal in the execution of the plan.

If it weren't for the fact that he is a criminal crazy, some would consider him a tactical genus. He had darned near every aspect worked out for his assault. I don't want to glorify this bastard in any way but you have to admire the planning and execution that went into this heinous assault.

I know, to some I'm a sick bastard for thinking so but get past the emotion and look at the reality of it all. There was some serious planning going on.

You're right...as a certified forensic examiner, I think he will have hard time meeting the legal definition of insanity. And to the other poster - the nature of the act - the "No one sane would do this" defense is not proof on insanity in legal terms (called the M'Naughton rule). But a defense attorney will likely try to make a NGRI defense.

 

[Firefighterchen]

I have actually been talking with multiple people about this very same aspect. From people asking "how did such an unstable person obtain weapons?", to "how can someone so evil do this?" This guy was not an idiot, he was a very smart person. Instability and evilness are completely different from intelligence. No matter how many laws are in the way of him obtaining any weapons, he would of been smart enough to figure out how to get what he wanted. There is a fine line between genius and insanity. The OP is right, this guy must of been planning this for a long time. Sickens me.

Here's an aspect I have not seen come up. I do not know what all the theaters in this country look like, but the majority of theaters I have gone too are a tactical nightmare when it comes to escape routes. Most require you to go forward 2/3 of the way, usually down stairs, to wrap around a wall and make for an exit. Then there are usually 2 exits at the front of the room on either side. As shown in CO...one guy can easily plan to trap hundreds of people into a confined space with no exits.

Maybe there should be some rethinking on how a movie theater is laid out. Maybe this is a wake up call for people who are going to build new theaters, or to renovate old theaters to create better, and more, ways to exit the building in case of any emergency (fire, bomb, gunman, etc). What do all of you think about that? Should they rethink the lay out, and allow for better ways to exit the building?

 

[Shoobee]

Without a doubt the happenings in the Aurora movie theater was a horrific event. My heart and prayers go out to the families of the dead and to the survivors and their families that will relive the horror that they experienced. No one should ever have to go through what they did.

Does anyone else besides me marvel at the planning and preparation that maniac went through to accomplish what he did?

He must have been planning this action for some time. Lord knows it wasn't a knee jerk decision to go shoot up a movie theater.

He scoped out the theater.
He purchased the weapons from 3 different stores to minimize the arousal of suspicion.
He purchased level II tactical armor, not an easy feat in todays world of big brother watching every purchase.
He developed the munitions and explosive technology he deployed at his apartment in and effort (in my opinion) to maximize the secondary collateral damage of second wave responders at the investigative level. Lord know what destructive and deadly toxins a neuroscientist could concoct.
He chose a soft target with minimal, controlled escape.
He chose the target according to the venue at the theater so that his attire would not draw attention until it was too late to take action against him.
He choose the soft target with the "No Guns Allowed" mentality of the theater so the possibility of him running into opposition would be minimal.
He deployed flash bang/smoke grenades on either side of the theater to disorient the crowd and to ensure panic.
He was methodical and maniacal in the execution of the plan.

If it weren't for the fact that he is a criminal crazy, some would consider him a tactical genus. He had darned near every aspect worked out for his assault. I don't want to glorify this bastard in any way but you have to admire the planning and execution that went into this heinous assault.

I know, to some I'm a sick bastard for thinking so but get past the emotion and look at the reality of it all. There was some serious planning going on.

The judge in the Ted Bundy trial said at the end of it that Bundy was a genius also, only unfortunate that he decided to go on a serial killing rampage.

Holmes was academically bright in the same way. And also a pity that he decided to go on a mass killing rampage.

What Holmes had no way of figuring out though is that the AR design is designed to jam if you shoot it a lot.

That subtle lack of experience is what prevented him from obtaining an AK or a Ruger Mini instead, both being superior semi auto rifles if you ever actually need to shoot them a lot.

So although his best laid plan was thorough, and he thought of everything that he could think of, it went aglay when the AR jammed and he did not know how to unjam it, and now will bring him naught but grief and pain in jail and prison and on death row in Colorado. And there are only 3 other guys on death row there as well, so it won't take long for the hangman to get to him either. Unlike in California or Texas where it could take a long, long time.

And 12 is not that high of a body count. Actually it's barely par for the course, as far as mass and spree killings go. McVeigh got 168. And McVeigh was only barely above average I/Q. See the difference that good military training can make?

 

[Shoobee]

You're right...as a certified forensic examiner, I think he will have hard time meeting the legal definition of insanity. And to the other poster - the nature of the act - the "No one sane would do this" defense is not proof on insanity in legal terms (called the M'Naughton rule). But a defense attorney will likely try to make a NGRI defense.

So what is up with Loughner in Arizona? Who thought that was going to be a speedy trial as well?

 

[Shoobee]

sorry, but i wouldn't call any of that 'tactical genius', just well thought out. i'm just curious why he gave up at the end when the cops showed up. i mean he couldn't have been thinking "i'll give up now, and plea 'temporary' insanity (only been planning it for a month), write a book about it, get rich!". what's the point of the booby trapped apartment if you're just going to tell the cops "oh yeah, be careful in the apartment, there's things that might hurt you there."

The kid was just a college kid, not even a trained shooter of any kind. Of course he is going to chicken the second he comes face to face with real lawmen.

 

[Monkey9]

I like where firefighterchen went. Theatres are notorious for poor emergency exits. I totally agree that the design should be revisited. The ones i have been in the last few years were designed with the one side entry. The emergency exit is poorly marked. Is it just poorly written codes or outdated building codes?

 

[Shoobee]

I think any defense attorney will make that argument...liberal heart bleeding or not. That is what they do. I don't anyone would hire one who said"Sure, my client is guilty, fry him!".

Yup exactly. That's what they are paid to do. If the defense can sew up life in prison without parole, that would be a major victory for the defense team.

Personally I don't care, one way or the other. Life in prison is likely worse than execution by lethal injection, depending on what the next world really holds.

Prison food is not that great, and there is not much to do. Tedious and boring. Torturous.

But I am sure any one of the families of the 12 dead would be more than happy to pull the switch on Holmes however.

 

[Shoobee]

Not that I've been waiting with bated breath for every news cast, but I haven't heard much outcry for the domestic terrorism angle. it's almost like the new media is down playing that angle.
Terrorism or not he should still be made to take the McVeigh path to hell.

If Holmes' bombs had gone off and burned down the apartment building and killed a lot of people, sure then the Feds would likely go after him like McVeigh.

But his music trap did not work, so the diversion never went off.

So the domestic terrorism is only attempted domestic terrorism.

Whereas the 12 murders are in cold blood and with malice aforethough. So the State of Colorado vs James Holmes will be the main show without any side shows.

 

[Shoobee]

While this may be true, the police chief of Aurora never specified a motive. The idea that he thought himself The Joker was perpetuated by the NYPD commissioner; more than likely in the same breath as mayor Blumberg's call for stronger gun control. While this explanation makes sense to me, I'd still like to see a more official report. Trusting any official from NYC, especially on an issue where they have a vested interest, is not the most prudent thing.

Facts: several months of planning and elaborate preparation.
Conclusion: some kind of schizophrenic narcissistic break with reality.
Motive: suicide by cop.
Result: he chickened when his AR jammed.
Unintended consequences: shaming is parents and neighbors and friends and a trip to death row in Colorado.