July 20th: The Day The Dark Knight was Tainted Forever

The public's first look at the villain James Holmes

Excited fans filled the Colorado cinema to see the highly anticipated premiere showing of the new Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises at midnight on July 20th 2012. Minutes into the movie, a gas canister was thrown into the room, causing disorientation and skin and eye irritation. The audience were stunned, some actually thought it was a stunt or a prank to enhance the movie premiere, especially as the man leading it was dressed in black with a mask on. After the gas, the man started firing gunshots, first at the ceiling, then at the audience, with some shots breaking through the cinema wall and hitting audience members of the next room.
   The gunman has been identified as 24 year old medical student James Holmes, who killed 12 innocent audience members and seriously injured a further 58 people. He was arrested shortly after outside the cinema, and faced his first court hearing three days later on July 23rd. Holmes' criminal record was apparently clean prior to July 20th, but July 30th 2012 saw the Judge file 24 counts of first degree murder, 116 counts of attempted murder, possession of explosive devices and inciting violence. 
   For fear of duplicate events at other global premieres of the movie, several screenings were cancelled, including the Champs-Elysees red-carpet premiere in Paris. This fateful incident raises questions of security in mundane places such as cinema theatres: should we take precautions here too? Will this shocking event stir any changes to American laws regarding guns?