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Colo. suspect charged with 24 counts of murder

  • Photo by ASSOCIATED PRESS •
This photo provided by the University of Colorado shows James Holmes. University spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery says 24-year-old Holmes, who police say is the suspect in a mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater, was studying neuroscience in a Ph.D. program at the University of Colorado-Denver graduate school. Holmes is suspected of shooting into a crowd at a movie theater killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said. Colorado
  • NICHOLAS RICCARDI,Associated Press P. SOLOMON BANDA,Associated Press
  • Originally published July 30, 2012 at 11:29 a.m., updated July 30, 2012 at 11:29 a.m.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — Colorado prosecutors have formally charged a former doctorate student with 24 counts of murder in the shooting at an Aurora movie theater.

Twenty-four-year-old James Holmes appeared Monday and was also formally charged with 116 counts of attempted murder.

Twelve people were killed and 58 people were wounded or injured. The breakdown of the charges was not immediately clear.

He's also charged with a one count of possession of explosives. Authorities say he booby trapped his apartment.

Holmes was arrested early July 20 outside a Century 16 theater in Aurora during a midnight showing of the new Batman movie.

Legal analysts expect his court the case to be dominated by arguments over his sanity.

Holmes was a student at the University of Colorado Denver before withdrawing last month.