I used to get everything via an RSS feed which I tend not to do as much anymore – in other words, I pick and choose what I see via a feed and NEWS headlines isn’t one of them. I avoid the majors and pick up most of the breaking news via Twitter and the NY Times, so when I accidentally fell upon the Colorado theater shooting this morning, it came as a shock, largely because we don’t expect gun men to be hanging out in American town theaters gunning down people there to see a movie.
The film? “The Dark Knight Rises.”
While we typically don’t cover breaking news on We Blog the World and a killing isn’t exactly cultural, it did impact a Colorado community in an arts venue, both of which we do cover.
And, it’s a time for awareness and reflection when something this tragic happens to a region. It sends a signal to others living in small towns and cities in the states and beyond and sadly plants that scary thought in all of our heads: my sister could have been in that theater, my son could have been in that theater.
Aurora Colorado Police Chief Dan Oates, in a briefing with reporters today said that 71 people had been shot in total and 12 had been killed during the shootings at an area movie theater early this morning. Two of the victims died at area hospitals, while 10 were killed at the scene of the crime.
The killer is said to be a James Eagan Holmes who had apparently entered the theater dressed in all black and with heavy body armor. Are you kidding? The thing that races through my mind reading this are things like “what meds was he on?” “who does that?” “how sick do you need to be?” to blindly fire in a movie theater killing innocent people watching a movie, many of which were likely children.
It is believed that he used three weapons and had four with him in total. An assault rifle, a shotgun, and a 40-caliber glock were found in the theater and apparently another handgun was found in Holmes’ car, which was parked in the back of the theater.
Photo credits: AP Photo/Ed Andrieski
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
