By Police1 Staff
AURORA, Colo. — Early radio traffic from the Aurora cinema shooting that left 12 people dead and dozens injured has revealed how police officers were trying to save the lives of victims in the chaos that followed.
Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates says hundreds of calls began coming in at 12:39 a.m. Friday and police were on the scene within 60 to 90 seconds, with 200 officers eventually responding.
The audio, released by Denver Police, begins with the operator telling the units: “They are saying there is hundreds of people just running around.”
As further details emergence, the operator says, “All units respond to the theater.”
One officer can be heard in the audio saying, “Somebody is spraying gas in here, too.”
As police move into the theater, the magnitude of the event is apparent. “I got a child victim I need rescue at the back door of theater 9 now!” says one officer.
The film is still playing as the officers move thorough the auditorium, with one officer saying, “I need someone to shut this movie off at nine. Have them shut this movie off at nine.”
Authorities also released some of the 911 calls made during the massacre.
Snippets of the calls include:
• “Hundreds of people just running around”
• “Somebody’s spraying gas in there too”
• “We’ve got rifles, gas masks and... an open door near the rear of the theater.”
• “Behind the theater... a suspect in a gas mask”