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Thousands attend vigil for Colorado victims – Poppy Harlow reports on remembering the victims of Aurora
At a vigil lead by Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, thousands of well-wishers, family members and friends of the victims released heart-shaped balloons and lit candles as political and religious figures remembered their loved ones. In his speech Mayor Steve Hogan said, “The pain is still raw but we will reclaim our city in the name of kindness and compassion."
CNN's Poppy Harlow reports from Aurora, Colorado.
Colorado massacre suspect James Holmes due for his first court appearance – Jim Spellman reports
CNN's Jim Spellman brings the latest news on Colorado massacre suspect James Holmes and the current police investigation against him.
Spellman says the 24-year-old shooting suspect is due in court for an initial advisement. Holmes, who has not been cooperating with police is being kept in solitary confinement for his own protection.
VIDEO: Aurora theater shooting witness describes seeing little girl who wasn't moving
A witness describes the deadly shooting at the Aurora, Colorado movie theater.
Aurora police tell CNN theater shooting suspect didn't resist arrest, says suspect mentioned explosives in his home
(CNN) - A heavily armed gunman attacked an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater early Friday, tossing tear gas before opening fire on the terrified audience and killing 12 and wounding 38, authorities said. The theater was showing the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises."
The shooting unfolded inside a darkened theater packed with Batman fans, some in costume for the movie's premiere. Screaming, panicked moviegoers scrambled to escape from the black-clad gunman, who wore a gas mask and randomly shot as he walked up the theater's steps, witnesses said.
The shooter was identified by two federal law enforcement officers as James Holmes, 24, of Aurora. He had at least four guns - an "AK type" rifle, a shotgun and two handguns, a federal law enforcement official told CNN. The official also said the shooter used tear gas.
This morning on "Early Start," Aurora Police Department PIO Frank Fania explained that olice arrested the man shortly after the shooting ended in a rear parking lot of the theater.
"He did not resist. He did not put up a fight," Fania said. Police seized a rifle and a handgun from the suspect, and another gun was found in the theater, he said. It was unclear where law enforcement found a second handgun.
Video: Chaos at Aurora theater shooting scene
First aired on "Early Start" this morning, cell phone video captured the aftermath of a shooting inside a Colorado theater at a "Dark Knight Rises" premiere.
CLOSED: Chat with 'Early Start' co-anchor John Berman
This is an archived version of John's live chat. Check back in regularly to see new opportunities to interact with John and Zoraida.
**NOTE: If you're having trouble seeing the program within this blog post, click here to participate.
John Berman is our newest edition to the CNN family, co-anchoring "Early Start" with Zoraida Sambolin. He's here to answer you questions about reporting, his first week at CNN, what we're planning to cover tomorrow and share some of his favorite stories of the day.
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Sailing solo around the world: Alex Thomson on why you need a little 'instability' to make the attempt
Why would anyone want to spend three months alone on a boat, sleeping no more than 20 minutes at a time and dealing with perpetual dampness, not to mention the constant threat of death and disaster?
"I think you have to be a certain type of person," says 38-year-old Alex Thomson, a sun-kissed, blond-haired Brit who lists his profession as an aspiring "single-handed, around-the-world sailor." He has made it his mission to sail around the world—the entire world—all alone without stopping.
"When you put it in perspective, something like 3,000 people have climbed Mt. Everest. More than 500 people have been out to space," Thompson reasons. "But less than 100 people have sailed single-handed non-stop around the world."
Thompson is not yet one of them. In his majestic 60-foot racing yacht sponsored by Hugo Boss, Thompson is gearing up for the Vendee Globe, the premiere solo around-the-world yacht race, which take place every four years. It's his third try; the first two he didn't finish.
In 2006, his keel snapped and his boat capsized. "I though I might die," says Thompson, who had to abandon ship and was ultimately picked up by a competitor.
That experience taught him a lot. Despite all the challenges going on outside, what counts is what is going on in your head.
"You know when you're out there on your own in the southern ocean, where [you're] going to spend five weeks in wind chill factors minus 20, and there's no one to help you…your brain is telling you you're going to die and you've got to control that emotion. You've got to be able to sleep, you've got to be able to eat, you've got to be able to do your jobs and sail the boat. That takes some mental strength, also mental instability," Thomson says.
That's right, he said mental instability. It admittedly takes a special sort of person to pull the stunts Thomson has. YouTube nearly exploded with a wildly popular video that seems to defy physics, where Thomson is standing on the keel of his boat, fully dressed in a Hugo Boss suit as the yacht races through the water.
Photo courtesy of AlexThomsonRacing.com
That image, on the $4 million yacht, looks death-defying and glamorous. Much of his life at sea? Not so glamorous.
His bathroom is a bucket. His food? Dehydrated like an astronaut. And the real hardship: he sleeps no more than 40 minutes at a time.
No wonder he had second thoughts in his first attempt around the world.
"When all the spectator boats are gone and I found myself on my own…I ended up in the fetal position in the cockpit wondering why I was doing it," Thomson says.
Now a seasoned pro, he doesn’t wonder any more.
"I've traveled all the way around the world. I've seen some of the best places, and that’s the way to travel - by water," says Thomson. "That's where you get to see everything."
MYB: Economic fears hit Obama approval
Christine Romans on how despite signs of a stabilizing economy, President Obama's approval numbers have dropped.
Are Obama, Romney attacks working? Paul Steinhauser on what the polls say
Paul Steinhauser on whether recent attacks from the Obama and Romney campaigns are affecting polling numbers.
Syria reaching a turning point? Barbara Starr on why the US admin. says Al-Assad faces faces 'fight or flight' decision
From CNN's Security Clearance blog:
The killing of three top officials by an explosion on Wednesday has left Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at a "decision point," a senior U.S. official told CNN.
"From an intelligence point of view the regime has to decide: fight or flight," the senior official said.
Another senior official from the Middle East region underscored that assessment, telling CNN the attacks indicate "strong cracks in the regime."
"This is a potential tipping point," the Middle East official said.
The nature of the violence and the proximity to al-Assad's inner circle of power is causing the increased concern from American government officials in the last few days, the American source said. A second senior U.S. official concurred with that assessment.
This morning on "Early Start," CNN's Barbara Starr on why a senior administration official says Al-Assad faces 'fight or flight' decision.
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