Neuroscience student becomes real villain as Batman: Dark Knight Rises is released

One year on from the attacks in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik that killed 77 and injured 319, A 24 year old Neuroscience graduate from University of California, Riverside attempted to become like a real Batman villain after dying his hair like the Joker (although the Joker never had red hair) and wearing a gas mask like villain Bane.

At 12.39, 30 minutes into one of the first showings for new Batman movie Dark Knight Rises, 24 year old James Eagan Holmes entered with several weapons: 12-gauge Remington Model 870 shotgun, first at the ceiling and then at the audience. He also fired a Smith & Wesson AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, and a .40 S&W Glock handgun. Audience members thought it was part of the promotion until he started throwing canisters full of obscuring gas and began opening fire on audience members. Within 90 seconds police came and apprehended Holmes but it came at the cost of 12 dead and 58 injured- including a 3 month old baby.

Holmes said after arrest that his apartment was "booby-trapped with explosives" which was later confirmed by the FBI; five buildings surrounding his Aurora residence (about 5 miles north of the theater) were evacuated and disarmament is still underway.

Holmes enrolled as a PhD student in neuroscience at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. In 2012, his academic performance declined and he scored poorly on the comprehensive exam  but was not at risk of failing. However, he was in the process of withdrawing from the university. He had no prior criminal record but on Adult Friend Finder and Match.com his tagline was "Will you visit me in prison?"

Holmes is on suicide watch in solitary confinement and is expected to appear in court tomorrow on the 23rd July 2012.

Condolences to the family of those affected. Sometimes you wish Batman was real to deal with such people.