Aurora theater shooting victims sue Cinemark over lax security
The Century 16 movie theatre is seen from a memorial setup across the street on July 28, 2012 in Aurora, Colorado.
Victims of the Aurora, Colorado shooting that killed 12 and left 58 wounded have sued Cinemark theaters over what they claim was inadequate security to prevent suspected shooter James Holmes from opening fire on the audience.
The lawsuits, filed in a Colorado US District Court by three of the wounded victims of the July 20th shooting are believed to be the first filed in relation to the rampage, the Denver Post reported.
The suits, filed by law firm Keating, Wagner, Polidori & Free on behalf of Joshua Nowlan, and couple Denise Traynom and Brandon Axelrod, alleged that the theater did not take enough safety precautions for the opening screening of "The Dark Night Rises."
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"Although the theater was showing a midnight premier of the movie and was expecting large crowds of people to attend the midnight showing, no security personnel were present for that showing," according to both lawsuits, which were filed by the same law firm, CNN reported. "The exterior doors to the theater were lacking in any alarm system, interlocking security systems, or any other security or alarm features."
The announcement of the lawsuits came on the same day that the Cinemark outpost announced renovations and a reconfiguring of the theater that would have it reopened by 2013.
Aurora's mayor Steve Hogan is highly supportive of the theater's reopening, and has requested that Cinemax allow for victim and survivor visitations, memorials, and a change in the building's outer appearance, the Associated Press reported.
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"We will always remember those who lost their lives and the many others impacted that day. While no one will ever forget that day, this is another step in the community's healing," Hogan said.
Cinemark was unavailable for comment, according to several sources who attempted to reach the cinema company.
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