MTV Star Claims Alleged Aurora Theater Shooter Called Him Prior To Massacre

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — An MTV star believes the suspected Aurora theater shooter called him twice about a month prior to the massacre in Aurora, Colorado.

In an exclusive interview, Pimp My Ride's Diggity Dave told KNX 1070's Charles Feldman that a young man who called himself "James Holmes" phoned him in June about his upcoming film, "The Suffocator of Sins."

Dave wrote, directed and stars in the forthcoming takeoff of the Batman movie, which shows a young vigilante Batman shooting down evil doers. Some have said the YouTube trailer resembles a crowded movie theater. He describes the film as a "very sick and dark twist of the Batman movies."

Dave said Holmes, 24, claimed to have watched the trailer more than 100 times. He was obsessed with the violence depicted in  the trailer and dismayed that the film's character didn't use bigger guns, according to Dave.

Holmes is accused of fatally shooting 12 people and wounding 58 others during an opening night showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" on July 20 at an Aurora, Colo. theater. He has been charged with 24 counts of first-degree murder, 116 counts of criminal intent to commit murder and one count of illegal possession of an explosive device.

"He would tell me what he really liked about the trailer. He kept pressing if I could give him more information on the story. He wanted to know how many people Batman kills," Dave said. "He wanted to know if it was selective killing. Does he make a list of people he wants to kill or is it a mass body count?"

Dave said Holmes was immersed in the characters.

"Not just the character of Batman, but the villains, too. He talked about the Joker,"  he said.

The MTV star said he could tell Holmes was reaching out for a friend.

"He was shocked I took his call. He couldn't believe he was talking to me. I'm a pretty good judge of character and I knew the kid was lonely," Dave said.

Dave says he is sure the caller was the alleged gunman, although he cannot prove it he told Feldman.

Dave said  he was contacted by someone claiming to be from the Denver Police Department, but could not be sure if it was a prank call or a journalist pretending to be an officer.

A Colorado judge has placed a gag order on all information relating to the trial.

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• Colorado