Colorado community remembers Aurora theater shooting victims 12 years later
Saturday marks 12 years since a gunman opened fire in an Aurora movie theater, killing a dozen people. The tradition of an annual vigil continues to remember the victims and families impacted.
Twelve people died and 70 more were injured on July 20, 2012, after a gunman walked into the theatre during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises."
Toni Curtsinger was 9 months pregnant when bullets started flying.
"Fight or flight immediately kicked in," said Curtsinger. "Everybody was just pushing and shoving and trying to get out and then there was me trying to protect my body versus anything else."
Curtsinger sustained injuries to her face. Her son, Kai, turns 12 years old in a few weeks.
"He has his questions now," she explains. "We educate him. I tell him to be super vigilant and aware of his surroundings all the time because anything can happen anytime."
Curtsinger's friend was one of the victims who never made it home.
The lives lost include Jonathon Blunk, age 26; Alexander "AJ" Boik, age 18; Jesse Childress, age 29; Gordon Cowden, age 51; Jessica Ghawi, age 24; John Larimer, age 27; Matt McQuinn, age 27; Micayla Medek, age 23; Veronica Moser-Sullivan, age 6 and her unborn sibling; Alex Sullivan, age 27; Alexander Teves, age 24; and Rebecca Wingo, age 32.
The 7/20 Memorial Foundation continues to honor the lives lost by being a resource and advocating for other communities struck by mass tragedy. It's made up of families of victims, survivors, and others directly impacted by the theatre shooting.
Tiina Marie Coons is with the Memorial Foundation. Her son survived the shooting.
She says they deliver paper cranes with words of encouragement to areas healing from violence.
"We always put a letter in there saying we're going to support you, or if they've got any questions about building a memorial or anything to reach out," said Coons. "I believe that community can help raise each other up and that's what we need to do."
Each year, the foundation holds an annual fundraiser surrounding the memorial that is the centerpiece of Aurora's Water Wise Garden.
The Annual Midnight Vigil at the 7/20 Memorial takes place Friday, July 19, from 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. The candlelight vigil will begin at 11:30 p.m. near the entrance of the Aurora Water-Wise Garden and proceed toward the memorial for traditional ceremonies.
The "Day of Resilience" wellness and healing fair is Saturday, July 20, from 8am to Noon. It will feature The Hero's Journey 5K run/walk and the Reflection Garden on Tap: beer and chalk art festival.
5K run/walk information and registration sign-up online here.
The festival is an all-ages, free event, but a wristband for beer tasting is required for 21 and older. Beer wristbands for $35 donation available online here and choose "7/20 Day of Resilience Beer Fest Wristband"
To volunteer for the event, sign-up here.
To donate to 7/20 Memorial Foundation visit https://www.7-20memorial.org/donate