THE MASSACRE:

Mass Shooting at Colorado Movie Theater:

12 People Dead; 58 Remain Hospitalized

A lone gunman dressed in riot gear burst into a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., at a midnight showing of the Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises” and methodically began shooting patrons, killing at least 12 people and injuring at least 59.

The suspect, James Holmes, 24, of Aurora, was caught by police in the parking lot of the Century 16 Movie Theaters, nine miles outside Denver, after police began receiving dozens of 911 calls at 12:39 a.m. MT. Police said the man appeared to have acted alone.

Witnesses in the movie theater said Holmes crashed into the auditorium through an emergency exit about 30 minutes into the film, set off a smoke bomb, and began shooting. Holmes stalked the aisles of the theater, shooting people at random, as panicked movie-watchers in the packed auditorium tried to escape, witnesses said.

“You just smelled smoke and you just kept hearing it, you just heard bam bam bam, non-stop. The gunman never had to reload. Shots just kept going, kept going, kept going,” one witness told ABC News.

“I’m with coworkers and we’re on the floor praying to God we don’t get shot, and the gunshots continue on and on, and when the sound finally stopped, we started to get up and people were just bleeding,” another theatergoer said.

Police said 10 victims died inside the theater, while dozens of others were taken to local hospitals, including a child as young as 6 years old. (Yahoo News)

– From a Prayer Partner in Colorado:

“Thank you for your prayers for the families of the victims, for the salvation of those who committed these crimes, that these crimes not be used for political purposes, and for many to be saved unto Yeshua, Jesus Christ because of these massacres.”

– Father, we pray, too, and ask that YOU place a HEDGE around this event, so that NO COPYCATS are attempted this weekend or ever again! We ask for Your Hand of Mercy to be upon us all, in Jesus’ Wonderful Name, amen.

– ” . . . ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?” (Job 38:11)

“You set a boundary they cannot cross . . . “ (Psalm 104:9)

MOURNERS GATHER IN PRAYER VIGILS

Aurora, CO – Hundreds of mourners are gathering at vigils for the victims of the shootings at a suburban Denver theater showing the latest Batman movie.

At the Queen of Peace Roman Catholic church in Aurora, a few miles from the shooting, more than 1,000 mourners gathered Friday evening for a memorial Mass. Newly installed Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila told mourners dabbing their eyes, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

He said, “The heart of our Father is stronger than the bullets that killed 12 people.”

Near the entrance to the theater’s parking lot, a makeshift memorial of 12 candles sat in a row near piles of flowers. Up the hill, about 20 pastors led an emotional vigil for about 350 people, some hugging and crying. (Read more)

– Father, we are appalled and grieved at this senseless act of terror, and pray that You will comfort the families and loved ones of those killed, and wounded. We pray for those who are in the hospital, 11 of whom are listed as “critical”, that You would bring healing to all their wounds . . . both physical and emotional as a result of this trauma.

We thank You that You are a God of compassion, and that You have promised to be Jehovah Shammah, the “God Who is present” with us in our griefs and hard places. We ask that You would use this situation to bring these people to You, as their Saviour, their Healer, their Comforter, and Giver of Life eternal. We pray for the gunman, whom You also love, that somehow he would seek and find salvation and forgiveness in You. We ask these things in the Name of Yeshua, our Saviour. Amen.

– ” Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:2,3)

FOCUS ON THE SHOOTER

Grad school dropout James Holmes ‘not on anybody’s radar’
before horrific attack

The 24-year-old man who police say walked into a Colorado movie theater and sprayed patrons with gunfire is a grad school dropout who grew up in San Diego and had only one known brush with the law – a traffic ticket last year.

Tall and dark-haired, James Egan Holmes stared clear-eyed at the camera in a 2004 high school yearbook snapshot, wearing a white junior varsity soccer uniform — No. 16. The son of a nurse, Arlene, and a software company manager, Robert, James Holmes was a brilliant science scholar in college.

But Friday morning just past midnight, police say Holmes burst into the crowded Century 16 movie theaters in Aurora, Colo., where the Batman movie “The Dark Knight Returns” was being shown and opened fire with three guns, killing at least 12 and injuring scores.

What snapped in the neuroscience student’s brain is unclear. Jackie Mitchell, a furniture mover who lives several blocks from the suspect’s apartment building in Colorado, said he had drinks with Holmes at a local bar on Tuesday night, though he gave no sign of being distressed or violent.

After Holmes approached him “we just talked about football. He had a backpack and geeky glasses and seemed like a real intelligent guy, and I figured he was one of the college students,” Mitchell said.

When Mitchell saw Holmes’ photo after the shooting, “the hair stood up on my back,” he said. “I know this guy.”

Mitchell also said Holmes seemed smart, with a “swagger.”

Holmes, who is in police custody and is reportedly no longer cooperating with authorities, appears to have meticulously planned the horrific attack, booby-trapping his apartment near the Aurora, Colo., with what police described as “incendiary and chemical devices” equipped with sophisticated tripwires. At the cinema, he entered through a fire door he’d previously left open and then set off some sort of explosive before opening fire with multiple guns, including an AR-15 assault rifle, a shotgun and at least one .40-caliber Glock handgun.

Holmes, who was dressed in black and wearing a protective vest, was arrested by his car outside the movie theater minutes after the attack. Holmes did not resist cops and reportedly told them his apartment – just four miles from the theater and within view of Children’s Hospital, where some of his victims were taken – was rigged to kill.

Police say the attack is not tied to terrorism and have thus far have provided no motive. Holmes’ only known brush with authorities was a speeding ticket issued last October. Federal law enforcement sources told USA Today Holmes “was not on anybody’s radar.”

“Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved,” Holmes’ family said in a written statement Friday. “We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time.” (Fox News)

– Lord, we pray for James Holmes. We pray for his salvation. You came to release the captives. We know he is being held captive in his mind for him to have murdered all these people. Send people to him in prison to give him the good news of the gospel laid out in Luke 4. We know justice must be served for the deed he has done.

We lift up all the families who are suffering from this horrific act by James Holmes. Continue to comfort all those who have lost their loved ones. According to Luke 4, You deliver those who are downtrodden, crushed, and broken down by this calamity. Deliver these families and the community from all the grief they are experiencing. We ask this prayer in Jesus Name, amen.

– The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity) (Luke 4:18)

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES:

Colorado police focus on shooting suspect’s booby-trapped home

AURORA, Colo. – A day after a gunman opened fire at a packed midnight showing of the new “Batman” film in a Denver suburb, killing 12 people and wounding 59 more, police on Saturday prepared to neutralize explosives in the suspect’s booby-trapped apartment. Dozens of law enforcement officials arrived at the apartment of suspect James Holmes at dawn, but it was not immediately clear if they planned to detonate the suspected explosives using a robot. Police have evacuated five nearby buildings and created a perimeter of several blocks.

– Abba, we pray for these law enforcement officers, and all involved in securing the apartment of this gunman. We ask that they be successful in their attempts to neutralize these explosives, and dismantle any and all “booby-traps”. We pray that there be no injuries or casualties as a result of this operation. We ask for wisdom for all those involved in this situation, that the apartment can be secured, and other residents in the area would be able to return to their homes without injury to them or their possessions. We do ask for Your continued comfort to everyone in Aurora, and surrounding areas, affected by this tragedy.

We also ask that any and all evidence that might have prevented this young, deranged man from carrying out his violent agenda be revealed, so that actions might be taken in the future to prevent another massacre. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

– ” . . whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.” (Mark 4:22)

A LETTER FROM A PASTOR:

“Tragedy and the Hope We Have”

I hope that we, as a church, will pray for those affected by this tragedy. This is an awesome response from this pastor in Denver.

Bobbie Hill, Colorado Springs, CO

Denver United family,

I’m heavy-hearted as I write to you in the wake of the second tragedy in our area in a month. Our missions team out here at the Los Angeles Dream Center was shocked and saddened with you all this morning at the news of the horriffic tragedy last night in Aurora. Please take some time today to pray for the families of those twelve who were killed and for the dozens more who were wounded. Let me offer some coaching on how we might pray together in response:

– Pray for a revelation of God’s redeeming love to the families of the 12 deceased. Pray that the God of all comfort, mercy, and compassion would himself strengthen them, encourage them, and give them hope.

– Pray for God’s healing power in the bodies and hearts of the 50 people who were wounded, many critically. Ask God to demonstrate his sovereign power and tender mercy by intervening and touching these people right where they are today. Ask in faith for miracles of healing to the glory of God.

– Pray that God would draw people to Jesus in the wake of tragedy through the outpouring of his power and compassion. Ask that, in the midst of this great darkness, Jesus’ light would shine brightly.

– Pray with the authority Jesus has given you to bind the spirits that blind people’s minds from the truth. Insofar as we know our enemy is not flesh and blood, take authority over the Denver area in Jesus’ name, canceling Satan’s lies, deception, and destruction in people’s lives. Resist the enemy in the name of Jesus and know that he must flee.

If you know anyone who was directly affected by this tragedy, please let me know right away–you can simply reply to this email. Where there are hurting, hopeless people in the Denver metro region, I want our church to be there. We are ambassadors of Jesus, and in dark times we must shine the brightest with our Savior’s steadfast love. What a privilege and what a responsibility that our Lord said, “You are the light of the world.”

This Sunday we will take some time to pray for our city and those affected by the Aurora tragedy in particular. We’ll also address the hard questions that follow: What darkness, what hopelessness compels a person to such reckless hate? How do we respond to such senseless violence and the devastation it leaves for families and communities after the news cameras go away? Where is Jesus in the midst of horrors like these?

I know you are all busy, but I hope you’ll prioritize coming together on Sunday to seek God and consider what it means to be his people in the face of a world that desperately needs Him. Remember, friends, that our hope is in Jesus; he is a sure and steadfast anchor for your soul. It is only the presence of God–the glorious, transforming presence of God which Jesus makes available to us–that can heal our city.

Mauri and I love you all very much and we thank God for you. May He draw you close to himself as you seek him today . . .

Rob

Rob Brendle
Senior Pastor
Denver United Church
www.denverunited.com

AND NOW — GUN CONTROL

Gun Control Legislation: Frank Lautenberg Readies Bill
In Wake Of Aurora Shooting

This is a sad ending to a tragic story. It may be of interest to note that the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the U.N. Small Arms Treaty (gun control) this Friday, July 27th — right in the wake of this tragedy.

And now, Sen. Lautenberg has taken the action, below.

Please join us in prayer today that the 100 members of the United States Senate weigh carefully their votes on gun control legislation — or treaties — before taking their stand. May we not be contolled by a spirit of fear, but of love and of power and of sound mind. – The Editor

WASHINGTON — In the immediate aftermath of the shooting in Aurora, the debate over gun control policy has more or less centered on whether it’s an appropriate time to even have a debate.

But several lawmakers have demanded that the government not shy about tackling the legislative issue. Mayor Michael Bloomberg set the tone when he urged the two presidential candidates to outline their policies with respect to federal gun laws. And now, Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s (D-N.J.) office is saying that he plans to reintroduce legislation that would curtail the ability of a shooter to fire at length without reloading.

“If reports are correct and a high-capacity gun magazine was used to commit these awful murders, Senator Lautenberg will absolutely renew his effort to limit the availability of this dangerous firearm attachment,” Lautenberg’s communications director Caley Gray told The Huffington Post.

Lautenberg, one of the most vocal gun control advocates in the Senate, introduced a bill to limit high-capacity magazines following the shooting of former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The shooter in that instance fired his gun more than 30 times without having to reload. The bill went nowhere.

Early reports have suggested that the accused shooter in Aurora, James Holmes, also used a high-capacity magazine on his assault rifle. And that alone could breathe new political life into the New Jersey Democrat’s legislative hopes. (The Huffington Post) Read more.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Tonight we are a nation in mourning. Here in Washington, D.C., even the weather seems to reveal our mood today: a slow, long, dreary rain has been falling gently on our city under dark, gloomy skies.

But above those skies, there remains brilliant sunshine . . .

Our hope and our prayer today as we close this Special Alert is that, even as we remain in prayer for the families of the victims, for healing for the survivors, and for the salvation of many who need to invite Jesus Christ into their lives, that this incident not be used as an excuse to abrogate the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution: the right to bear arms.

If you feel as we do, then please be prepared to contact your own member of Congress and the two senators who serve your state, early next week, to express your views. Please be kind and keep your remarks brief. Together, let’s fight for our right to bear arms and to defend our individual and national freedom, at all cost. Thank you.

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