At least 12 people have been shot dead at a Denver showing of the latest Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. 

50 people have been injured and Denver police have confirmed that 14 people have died in a dramatic start to the film’s Denver premiere.

Despite early reports of two gunmen, it has been confirmed one masked man carrying three guns opened fire in a cinema in Aurora, Denver, where three theatres were running midnight screenings of the film.

A police spokesman said the gunman appeared at the front of the theatre. Witnesses said they thought smoke and loud bangs were part of the special effects in Christopher Nolan’s film.

A suspect is in custody and a vehicle is under surveillance outside the cinema. The bomb squad is at the scene.

There are reports police are taking injured people to the hospital in their own cars instead of waiting for ambulances.  A makeshift hospital has been set up at the scene.

via Reuters