THE PLANNING BEFORE THE MASSACRE:
TIMELINE LEADING UP TO SHOOTING
MAY 2012
MAY 10 - HOLMES PURCHASES TWO 6 OUNCE TEAR GAS CANNISTERS ONLINE.
MAY 22 - HOLMES PURCHASES GLOCK.22 CALIBER GUN FROM GANDER MOUNTAIN GUN STORE
MAY 28 - HOLMES PURCHASES REMINGTON 870 TACTICAL SHOTGUN AND AMMO (FOR HANDGUN & SHOTGUN) AT BASS PRO SHOP
JUNE 2012
JUNE 6 - HOLMES PURCHASES 2 PAIRS OF HANDCUFFS, MILITARY GRADE FIRST AID KIT, AND TIRE PUNCTURES ONLINE
JUNE 7 - HOLMES FAILS HIS ORAL EXAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
JUNE 7 - HOLMES PURCHASES SMITH AND WESSON SEMI AUTOMATIC RIFLE, AMMO, GUN SLING & CASE FROM GANDER MOUNTAIN GUN STORE
JUNE 13 - HOLMES PURCHASES 100-ROUND DRUM MAGAZINE FOR THE SMITH AND WESSON RIFLE, AMMO FOR ALL THREE GUNS, EARBUDS FOR HEARING PROTECTION, GREEN LAZER LIGHT ONLINE.
JUNE 17 - HOLMES PURCHASES TACTICAL TARGETS & STANDS ONLINE
JUNE 19 - HOLMES PURCHASES BULLETS, RED LASER SIGHT, & PISTOL HOLDER ONLINE.
JUNE 28 - HOLMES BUYS 2,050 HANDGUN BULLETS & 25 SHOTGUN ROUNDS AS WELL AS A BALLISTIC HELMET ONLINE.
JUNE 29 - HOLMES VISITS THE AURORA CENTURY 16 THEATER AND TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS AT 4:20 PM USING HIS IPHONE. PHOTOS INCLUDE A CLOSE UP ON THE DOOR LATCH TO SHOW HOW IT FUNCTIONS. PHOTOS ON PHONE AFTER ARREST.
JULY 2012
JULY 1 - HOLMES PURCHASES PLASTIC AMMO USED FOR PRACTICE & RIFLE SCOPE FROM GANDER MOUNTAIN STORE. HE IS SEEN IN SURVELIENCE VIDEO PURCHASING THE ITEMS. HE IS SEEN IN THE VIDEO WITH BRIGHT ORANGE HAIR.
JULY 2 - HOLMES PURCHASES BALLISTIC TACTICAL GEAR FROM ONLINE STORES.
JULY 3 - HOLMES PURCHASES A MODEL ROCKET LAUNCH CONTROL SYSTEM & FUSES ONLINE
JULY 5 - HOLMES TAKES A SELFIE DECKED OUT IN THE TACTICAL GEAR HE WORE THE NIGHT OF THE MASSACRE.
JULY 5 - HOLMES TAKES NIGHTTIME PHOTOS OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE MOVIE THEATER FEATURING THE EMERGENCY EXIT DOORS AND FLOODLIGHTS.
JULY 6 - HOLMES PURCHASES THE 2ND GLOCK.40 CALIBER PISTOL, TARGETS, BULLETS, GUN POWDER (SMOKELESS), GUN OIL, AND A SINGLE CLOTH FROM BASS PRO SHOP
JULY 7 - HOLMES PURCHASES HIS TICKET TO 'THE DARK KNIGHT RISES' FROM FANDANGO.COM FOR THE MIDNIGHT SHOWING ON JULY 20TH. HIS TICKET IS FOR THEATER 8 ALTHOUGH HE SNUCK INTO THEATER 9, WHERE THE SHOOTING OCCURED.
JULY 11 - HOLMES AGAIN RETURNS TO THE MOVIE THEATER AND TAKES PHOTOS OF A PURPLE EMERGENCY EXIT DOORS.
JULY 14 - HOLMES BUYS CHEMICALS, MORTAR & PESTLE, AND A PETRI DISH FROM A DENVER SCIENCE EQIPMENT STORE.
JULY 16 - HOLMES TAKES A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE CHEMICALS AND BOOBY TRAP MATERIALS IN HIS KITCHEN
JULY 19 - HOLMES TAKES PHOTOS OF HIMSELF IN BALLISTIC GEAR AND ALSO OF HIS WEAPONS. HE IS SEEN IN THE SKULLCAP HE WENT INTO THE THEATER WITH AS HE ENTERED WITH THE CROWD. HIS GUNS AND AMMO ARE LAID OUT ON THE BED. HOLMED IS SMILING WIDELY IN ONE PHOTO. PHOTOS ALSO SHOW HOMEMADE BOMBS FOUND IN HIS APARTMENT.
MAY 2012
MAY 10 - HOLMES PURCHASES TWO 6 OUNCE TEAR GAS CANNISTERS ONLINE.
MAY 22 - HOLMES PURCHASES GLOCK.22 CALIBER GUN FROM GANDER MOUNTAIN GUN STORE
MAY 28 - HOLMES PURCHASES REMINGTON 870 TACTICAL SHOTGUN AND AMMO (FOR HANDGUN & SHOTGUN) AT BASS PRO SHOP
JUNE 2012
JUNE 6 - HOLMES PURCHASES 2 PAIRS OF HANDCUFFS, MILITARY GRADE FIRST AID KIT, AND TIRE PUNCTURES ONLINE
JUNE 7 - HOLMES FAILS HIS ORAL EXAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
JUNE 7 - HOLMES PURCHASES SMITH AND WESSON SEMI AUTOMATIC RIFLE, AMMO, GUN SLING & CASE FROM GANDER MOUNTAIN GUN STORE
JUNE 13 - HOLMES PURCHASES 100-ROUND DRUM MAGAZINE FOR THE SMITH AND WESSON RIFLE, AMMO FOR ALL THREE GUNS, EARBUDS FOR HEARING PROTECTION, GREEN LAZER LIGHT ONLINE.
JUNE 17 - HOLMES PURCHASES TACTICAL TARGETS & STANDS ONLINE
JUNE 19 - HOLMES PURCHASES BULLETS, RED LASER SIGHT, & PISTOL HOLDER ONLINE.
JUNE 28 - HOLMES BUYS 2,050 HANDGUN BULLETS & 25 SHOTGUN ROUNDS AS WELL AS A BALLISTIC HELMET ONLINE.
JUNE 29 - HOLMES VISITS THE AURORA CENTURY 16 THEATER AND TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS AT 4:20 PM USING HIS IPHONE. PHOTOS INCLUDE A CLOSE UP ON THE DOOR LATCH TO SHOW HOW IT FUNCTIONS. PHOTOS ON PHONE AFTER ARREST.
JULY 2012
JULY 1 - HOLMES PURCHASES PLASTIC AMMO USED FOR PRACTICE & RIFLE SCOPE FROM GANDER MOUNTAIN STORE. HE IS SEEN IN SURVELIENCE VIDEO PURCHASING THE ITEMS. HE IS SEEN IN THE VIDEO WITH BRIGHT ORANGE HAIR.
JULY 2 - HOLMES PURCHASES BALLISTIC TACTICAL GEAR FROM ONLINE STORES.
JULY 3 - HOLMES PURCHASES A MODEL ROCKET LAUNCH CONTROL SYSTEM & FUSES ONLINE
JULY 5 - HOLMES TAKES A SELFIE DECKED OUT IN THE TACTICAL GEAR HE WORE THE NIGHT OF THE MASSACRE.
JULY 5 - HOLMES TAKES NIGHTTIME PHOTOS OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE MOVIE THEATER FEATURING THE EMERGENCY EXIT DOORS AND FLOODLIGHTS.
JULY 6 - HOLMES PURCHASES THE 2ND GLOCK.40 CALIBER PISTOL, TARGETS, BULLETS, GUN POWDER (SMOKELESS), GUN OIL, AND A SINGLE CLOTH FROM BASS PRO SHOP
JULY 7 - HOLMES PURCHASES HIS TICKET TO 'THE DARK KNIGHT RISES' FROM FANDANGO.COM FOR THE MIDNIGHT SHOWING ON JULY 20TH. HIS TICKET IS FOR THEATER 8 ALTHOUGH HE SNUCK INTO THEATER 9, WHERE THE SHOOTING OCCURED.
JULY 11 - HOLMES AGAIN RETURNS TO THE MOVIE THEATER AND TAKES PHOTOS OF A PURPLE EMERGENCY EXIT DOORS.
JULY 14 - HOLMES BUYS CHEMICALS, MORTAR & PESTLE, AND A PETRI DISH FROM A DENVER SCIENCE EQIPMENT STORE.
JULY 16 - HOLMES TAKES A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING THE CHEMICALS AND BOOBY TRAP MATERIALS IN HIS KITCHEN
JULY 19 - HOLMES TAKES PHOTOS OF HIMSELF IN BALLISTIC GEAR AND ALSO OF HIS WEAPONS. HE IS SEEN IN THE SKULLCAP HE WENT INTO THE THEATER WITH AS HE ENTERED WITH THE CROWD. HIS GUNS AND AMMO ARE LAID OUT ON THE BED. HOLMED IS SMILING WIDELY IN ONE PHOTO. PHOTOS ALSO SHOW HOMEMADE BOMBS FOUND IN HIS APARTMENT.
court artist rendering OF iphone selfies SHOWN AT THE PRELIMiNARY HEARING.
HE WAS DECKED OUT in SWAT GEAR, showing GUNS ... AND SMILING
THE WEAPONS JAMES HOLMES USED IN THE MASSACRE:
Smith and Wesson.233 high powered semi-automatic rifle
.40 Caliber Glock pistol
Remington 870 shotgun
TACTICAL GEAR PURCHASED BY JAMES HOLMES
BOOBY TRAPPING HIS APARTMENT WITH EXPLOSIVES
James Holmes rigged his apartment with elaborate planning to lure someone inside, activating a trip wire, and setting off a domino effect of explosives. The plan seemed to be to divert emergency personnel from the theater to his apartment, giving him more time to make the death toll higher and more time to escape. Loud music was playing and the door was open. One neighbor went to the door, but did not go in.
HOW POLICE MADE ENTRY INTO JAMES HOLMES' APARTMENT