James Holmes
James Eagan Holmes, suspected of carrying out the Colorado movie theater shooting while wearing an outfit of black ballistic gear, was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate student in neuroscience who started buying his four weapons legally in May, about the time his grades fell and he began the process of dropping out of school. A law enforcement official confirmed that Holmes had two handguns, a shotgun and a semi-automatic rifle, was wearing an outfit of black ballistic gear, had his hair brightly colored and told police that he was the Joker, the fictional villain in earlier Batman comics and films. Holmes is not cooperating with authorities, other than to divulge that his apartment was rigged with explosives. He is represented by an attorney.
The 24-year-old from San Diego was a Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado Medical School campus in Aurora, a university spokesman told NBC News. “The University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus can confirm that Mr. James Holmes was in the process of withdrawing from the University of Colorado Denver’s graduate program in neurosciences,” the university statement said. “Mr. Holmes enrolled at the university in June 2011.”
The Washington Post reported that a neuroscience faculty member at Colorado who said he taught Holmes said he immediately thought of Holmes when he heard that a student was accused of the shooting. He was “very quiet, strangely quiet in class,” and said he seemed “socially off.” Holmes did very poorly on his comprehensive exams last semester, the instructor told the Post, and the school was considering placing him on academic probation, but was not considering expulsion.
The university website listed one of his courses as the Biological Basis of Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders. He was listed on the class website as making a presentation in the spring on MicroRNA biomarkers. The University of California, Riverside, confirmed that a student named James Eagan Holmes, with the same date of birth, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience in 2010. He graduated in four years, attending from the fall of 2006 to spring 2010. Public records show that the Holmes living in Aurora had a previous address at a Riverside dormitory.
A student who lived across the hall from Holmes at Cal-Riverside, who asked not to be named, said Holmes completed the honors program and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key honor societies. “I always thought that he was a little strange. I could never put my finger on it, but something told me to not get to close to him, female instincts I guess,” the female student told NBC News. “I had tons of classes with him and lived across from him in the Honors dorms. He was a very smart guy though. He was a little bit of a weird guy, but we were honors students, so weird people were kind of common.”Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said Holmes, born Dec. 13, 1987, is the man who is believed to have killed at least 12 people early Friday, at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie in Aurora, a suburb of Denver. Holmes has not yet been charged with any crime, and will appear in court on Monday. “We are confident that he acted alone,” Oates said. He said he had no way to tell how many rounds were fired, but it was “many, many.” Holmes was arrested without any resistance at his white Hyundai car in the theater parking lot, parked just outside the theater’s back door. He was wearing a black ballistic helmet, a ballistic tactical vest, ballistic leggings, throat and groin protectors, a gas mask, and tactical gloves, Oates said. The police chief did not address reports that Holmes told officers, “I’m the Joker,” referring to the villain in earlier versions of the Batman story.
Four weapons were found at the scene, Oates said. Two were handguns, made by Glock. Both were 40-caliber. At least one of those was used, the police chief said. One shotgun, a Remington model 870, one of the most popular models. Pump action, single barrel, 12 gauge. And one Smith and Wesson AR-15 type rifle, called by some an “assault rifle.” These weapons can accommodate large ammunition “clips,” but authorities have not yet said what kind of magazines were at the scene.
The purchase place and dates are still being traced, and the chief said he didn’t know yet if Holmes had the weapons legally. Officials later told NBC News that all four were purchased legally, beginning in May. The only previous police record for Holmes is a speeding ticket in October 2011, the chief said.
Holmes’ family, who live in Rancho Penasquitos, a well-to-do suburban community in the northeastern part of San Diego, issued a statement through the San Diego Police Department. “Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the family and friends of those involved,” the statement said. “We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time. Our family is cooperating with authorities in San Diego, California, and Aurora, Colorado. We are still trying to process this information and we appreciate that people will respect our privacy.” A man believed to be Holmes’ father was seen leaving with luggage, escorted by police. The Associated Press said the father is a manager at a software company.
A neighbor, Tom Mai, told The Los Angeles Times that Holmes was a shy, well-mannered kid who was very active in the church. The Associated Press reported that the family attended a Presbyterian church and threw a quiet Christmas party for neighbors. Holmes had trouble finding work after college, Mai said, and then went off to graduate school.
Holmes attended Westview High School in San Diego, graduating in 2006, the Poway Unified School District confirmed. A woman who said she knew him in high school told NBC News that Holmes was a good person, but oddly always rooted for the villains in superhero movies. “He was a nice guy. Who very much wanted to be liked and wanted,” the woman said. “He was a very, very smart guy. I honestly can not believe he could do this. I know, I know, everyone says that. But it is truly devastating to me. “He did not have many friends for someone who wanted to be liked,” she said. “He loved all the villains in superhero stuff, which I did point out as odd. Most people enjoy the hero!”
Public records indicate that Holmes lived with two roommates, also from California, in the Aurora building where police have found explosives, at 1690 Paris St., Apt. 10. The building is reserved for students, faculty and staff from the medical campus. The Denver Post reported that Holmes, in an apartment rental application he last year, described himself as “quiet and easy-going.” A pharmacy student who lives in the building told The Post he called 911 around 12:30 a.m. Friday because there was a song blaring from the stereo inside apartment 10, where Holmes lived. The student, who wanted to be identified only as Ben, said he couldn’t make out the song but that it seemed to be the same one playing on repeat. He also said Holmes kept to himself and wouldn’t acknowledge people when they passed in the hall and said hello. “No one knew him. No one,” he told The Post.
Melvin Evans, who was a bouncer at a karaoke bar near Holmes’ apartment, said he recalled Holmes as a patron from checking IDs. He said Holmes would stroll into the Zephyr Lounge, sit quietly in a corner booth and have a Budweiser,but never joined in the singing. “He would just sit by himself. He wouldn’t talk to anybody,” Evans said. “He was really, really mellow, really calm. You wouldn’t even look twice at him, if you passed him on the street.” Officials said Holmes was not on any watch list that would have alerted authorities that he was dangerous, officials said. The incident was not believed to have any connection to international terrorism, they added.