overnight at the showing of "the dark knight rises" that happened in aurora, colorado. a suburb of denver. dozens of police and firefighters are on the scene right now. our affiliate is following the story, everyone following the story now. we have reports of multiple deaths. we are working to confirm that. we know it was a multiple shooting of "the dark knight rises." aurora, colorado is about nine miles east of denver. local hospitals reporting patients are on the scene. they have been told to prepare for as many as 20. we were listening in just now as they were talking to some local folk there's who witnessed this horrific scene inside. they said they were hearing noises, but "the dark knight" is one of those movies where there is a lot of shooting, so they weren't sure if it was the movie. there were reports of smoke, perhaps an explosion and one witness was just telling us that he did see some people hunched over apparently who had been shot. we are trying to get as many details on this story as possible for you. we have jackie montgomery, a spokesperson, university of colorado hospitals. she is joining us on the line. are you there, jackie? >> i'm hear. >> what can you tell us about the injuries? >> at this point the university of colorado hospital has received about 20 patients with various levels of injuries from minor to severe. >> i'm having little difficulty hearing you. what is the severity of their injuries? >> it ranges from minor to severe, the majority are all gunshot wounds. >> how severe are some of these gunshot wounds. has anybody been dead on arrival? >> not that i have information to release on that to be honest. we're still trying to assess all the folks coming in. they are arriving by ambulance, by police and walking in on their own. >> have you heard anything about the volume of people that have been injured? we have a lot of reporting going on here. we're uncertain as to the number of people who have been injured. >> you know what? i'm sorry, there's other lines beeping in here, i can barely hear you. >> i was asking about the volume of injuries. we're hearing reports of a lot of people being injured. we're trying to figure out the number. so have you heard anything about the number of people being injured? >> i cannot hear any questions coming through. i don't know if we lost each other. do you want to state that again? >> can you hear me or no? we will try to reestablish this connection, if we can, and check back in with jackie montgomery, spokesperson, university of colorado hospitals. what she did tell us in the conversation we were able to have, she received about 20 patients, and they range from minor injuries to critical injuries. i asked her if anybody had been dead on arrival because we do understand that some people have died, though we don't have a number on that. she's uncertain and there are some hipa laws so she has to protect peoples privacy. i believe we have jackie. you are back there again? >> i'm really sorry. i can't make out any question you're asking right now. let's try to touch base in a little bit. >> okay. that's joackie montgomery. >> she said there are 20 pains at this hospital now. the injuries ranging from minor to severe. that's just one hospital right now. other hospitals are receiving patients at this moment. just to bring you up to speed here, multiple shooting in aurora, colorado at the century 16 movie theater nine miles east of denver during a late-night showing of "the dark knight rises." there are reports of multiple deaths. we are working to confirm that. we can give you some sound from a witness at the scene. >> four, maybe five people that were limping, wounded, slightly bloody. the most that i saw was a girl who was pretty much covered in blood, she didn't have any wounds on her. so, it kind of -- it made me think the worst. >> you've got a lot of horrible images in your mind right now. you said you saw a little girl? >> yeah. i don't know whose little girl that was. my heart goes out to them. i hope they're okay. i hope that, you know, the little girl is okay and she recovers and everything. but a cop came walking through the front door before everyone was cleared up and before everything was under control, a cop came walking through the door holding a little girl in his arms. she wasn't moving. i had heard another witness in my theater, someone else i was talking to before the movie, we were waiting in line for it, she was on the phone and the really messed up part for me is she told whoever she was talking to that she saw bullet holes in the little girl's back. and, i mean, i honestly can't think of any kind of person who would intentionally hurt a little girl. so, i mean, unfortunately it makes me think she got caught in the crossfire. >> how crowd was the theater? this was an anticipated film? >> yeah. we had two lines open. one-on-one side on one side of one on t other. as soon as we heard the first shots, my sister grabbed my arm and wanted to leave as quick as possible. it was terrifying. >> you are just listening to some horrific details of an eyewitness in that theater when the shootings happened. he said that a cop came into the theater and he was carrying out a little girl that he thought perhaps was lifeless. he mentioned maybe bullet holes in the little girl's back. he said the little girl was not moving in the cop's arms. earlier we heard from another eyewitness who said there was smoke, maybe an explosion. that there was confusion in the theater because "dark knight" is a loud movie and there's a lot of explosions and perhaps gunfighting. they were uncertain whether it was happening in the movie or in front of them. >> to give you a sense of how unexpected the environment going into this, we have this really fascinating ttter feed to show you from somebody named zack eastman. zack said he went to the theater dressed as bruce wayne. he was talking about the movie. his next tweet, i just evacuated our theater in aurora. there was a shooting. i am safe. he says apparently two people were shot. there was a shooting there. he said he saw people carried to an ambulance and that it was very, very, very scary. he said he only heard rumors about the people killed. he said a lot of stories are going on now. he said he's a bit shaken up, not going to lie, that was extremely terrifying. it must have been terrifying. you're at this theater in the middle of the night going to see what may be the biggest movie of the summer dressed as bruce wayne, even. a very festive occasion, shots rang out. you're not sure what's going on, the movie, who knows. reports of multiple people shot and multiple deaths. >> we're awaiting a press conference that should be happening in about five minutes with the police chief in the area. of course we will bring that to you the minute they start that press conference. i want to recap. the injuries here, we' trying to figure out how great are they. we talked to jackie montgomery, a spokesperson at the university of colorado hospitals, she said 20 patients arrived at her hospital. the injuries were from minor to critical. but she was not very specific about those critical injuries other than to say they are gunshot wounds. we also reported earlier that at swedish medical center they were alerted to a mass casualty incident, that's what they called it, at 1:15 in the morning, three patients in critical condition were transported to their hospital. but she was told, that hospital was told, nicole williams was told to prepare for up to 20 more patients. a lot of hospital response here. a lot of ambulances on the scene. the number of deaths versus the number of injuries we are still uncertain about that. we're trying to get those details as soon as they become available. a lot of confusion inside that movie theater. >> you can see the pictures outside the century 16 movie theater in aurora. we were told more than 250 police officers from across the denver metro aa have been called to the scene. they are on the scene at this very moment. the denver post getting some scant details. we're all looking into this right now. they're saying between 12 and 15 shots were fired. we have not confirmed this yet. we are looking into this now. different accounts of this harrowing moment coming in. >> we have a google map for you so you can see precisely where this is. it is nine miles from denver. about a 20-minute drive. last night's showing of "the dark knight" multiple shooting that happened there. you have more details from the police department, john? >> 250 police now on the scene there. you can see the flashing lights from across the metro area. we've been looking at these pictures for about 20 minutes now. looks fairly calm on the scene now. sometimes pictures can be deceiving. we have been told people from the theater have been evacuated to a local high school where they are being questioned by police to try to piece together what is going on there now. >> one of the eyewitnesss said that the scene is calm now. that it was chaotic, as soon as the police arrived, they were able to reestablish order. he was the one who was talking about the little girl in the police officer's arms. he said it looked like she had some gunshot wounds to her back. he said she appeared lifeless in the officer's arms. he questioned who would do something like this. we don't know the age of that little girl, more details on her or her condition. it was a chaotic scene in there. another eyewitness said there was a lot of noise, so they were uncertain whether it was the actual movie or whether something was happening inside the movie theater. a lot of people talked about smoke, right? there was some smoke at that location as well. we heard reports of explosions. we have yet to confirm exactly what happened on the scene except that, you know there has been a mass shooting. there are casualties. there are a lot of people in hospitals. >> we can report now that ten people are dead on the scene. this from two ray affiliates there, kusa and kmgh, they say police on the scene reporting ten people -- ten people have been killed in this horrific shooting at the movie theater overnight in aurora, colorado. at least 20 people injured. ten people dead. a late-night showing of "the dark knight rises" aurora, colorado. nine miles east of denver. we can confirm based on two affiliates, ten people killed overnight. >> also, jackie montgomery, a spokesperson at the university of colorado hospital, she mentioned those 20 patients that arrived at her hospital and that they were minor to critical injuries. she said they were all gunshot wounds. we'll wait and see what happens there. at the other hospital they received another 20 people . not what you expect to happen when you are waiting in line to go to a blockbuster movie, the blockbuster of the summer. then this unfolds. the why we don't know. trying to figure that out. what happened inside this movie theater that, you know, caused this kind of commotion and chaos. just the level of casualties here. >> we have more sound from a witness right now. let's take a listen. >> we were watching a scene in the movie, it was a shootout scene, guns were firing and loud bangs from right of the theater. smoke took over the entire theater and it was thick. no one could see anything. me and my sister were sitting there wondering what was going o on. >> we have on the line now with us nicole williams from the swedish medical center. mick col can you hear me? >> yes. >> tell me the situation at your hospital. how many victims do you have at this moment? >> we originally received three patients, both inbound in critical condition when this incident occurred. we received an 18-year-old male, a 19-year-old male and a 20-year-old female. we have been able to treat and release the 18-year-old male. the other two patients are listed in critical condition at this time. >> improving do we think? >> at this point, we don't know. both have gone to o.r. we're not sure of their condition or the extent of their injuries. >> have you been told to prepare for more shooting victims or do you think the three you have on hand now that's the extent of it? >> at this point we're not expecting to receive more patients directly from the scene from ambulance. we were told to expect up to 20 patients inbound, but we have been able to staff down slightly. we are hearing of patients driving themselves to area hospitals, so we are ready to accommodate any patients that may show up that way. we have been told by aurora ems that we will not receive more patients via ambulance. >> all right, nicole williams at swedish memorial hospital where they received three patients, one 18-year-old released, two other patients in critical condition. nicole, thank you very much. >> good luck. what we can confirm now, is that ten people are confirmed dead. and that there are, you know m that have gone to area hospitals. as you just heard, a lot of people walking themselves into hospitals. not sure of the extent of their injuries, it's more the trauma of what they have experienced. there is a press conference expected shortly. the police chief will address the crowds. the minute that happens we will bring that to you. so let's set the scene here for you again exactly where we are. this is nine miles from denver. it's the century 16 movie theater. it's about a 20-minute drive from denver. it was the premiere, that opening of "the dark knight." a lot of people anticipating this to be a blockbuster for the summer. >> must have been a packed theater. >> absolutely. a lot of eyewitness reports of what was going on in that theater. ju one gentleman said they were in the middle of a scene where there was a lot of gunfighting so they were uncertain what was happening. was the gunfire part of the scene or something that happened in the movie theater? he mentioned smoke, an explosion, a lot of noises. then probably the most difficult thing to hear from him, he said there was a police presence t happened fairly quickly. and that he saw a police officer carrying a little girl in his arms and there were bullet wounds to her back, that her body was lifeless. we don't know the age of the little girl. you know, he mentioned -- he said who would do something this horrific? >> you can see a huge police presence on the scene. the denver post reporting that 250 police race together scene. there it's a crime scene. obviously a crime scene. no details on who may have carried out this shooting. "the denver post" already reporting it was sometime after 1:00 a.m. local, 3:00 a.m. eastern a little more than two hours ago when this all happened, that's when police received reports of gunshots at this movie theater, the century 16 movie theater in aurora, colorado. nine miles east of denver. we can confirm at this point ten people have been killed. that's what police are telling us to our local affiliates there. it's eerily calm now, but two hours ago it must have been mayhem. >> a little while ago we spoke to jackie montgomery, spokesperson for the university of colorado hospitals, she mentioned they received 20 patients, some with minor injuries, some of them critically injured. we're trying to figure out how many injuries there are out there at local hospitals. >> let's take you right to the scene right now. we will listen in to our affiliate, kusa and get some of their coverage. >> the person was well-protected. pretty heavily geared up for an event like this. there is still a heavy police presence down here. they will be screening this area, looking to make sure there's not anybody else involved. the witnesses we've been talking to believe there was only one person involved. we'll hope that the police bear that out when they talk about this. >> the witnesses -- earlier nicole was mentioning that there are buss to take them away. the parking lot is probably still cordoned off. they can't go anywhere just yet, i would assume. >> some of the folks we talked to who were not in theater nine were already allowed to walk out and come over here. i imagine they will want to talk -- theater nine was the active shooting scene. that's where they will want to talk to everyone in there. >> brandon, we will take a break with you right now because the police department in aurora is about to hold a press conference. is it getting underway now? they will talk about what has happened. >> we want to take you to the scene right now of a police news conference that we believe is getting started right now in aurora. not quite yet. sorry, we will wait on that news conference. hopefully that will be starting voon. we would love to get more details about this shooting. it happened in theater number nine. that was the theater of this late-night showing of "the dark knight rises." the most anticipated film of the summer. massive lines overnight and just to repeat again, ten people have been killed. that's according to police on the scene, what they are telling local affiliates there. at least 20 injured. we talked to two hospitals, one got 20 patients, another got three patients. >> one of those patients was treated and released. so there is a bit of good news to report what we were just listening to as well that is new, that the eyewitnesss are saying they believe only one person was involved in the shooting here. so we're trying to confirm that. the police chief will address the media here shortly. we will bring that to you live to see how many more details we can get here. the eyewitnesss reporting lots of noises inside. one man mentioned smoke, perhaps an explosion. again, this movie is an explosive movie. so, whether that was happening as part of the movie or inside the theater, we're uncertain now. some people were saying it's too fresh of a scene to talk about. we do know there were walk-ins at the local hospitals. not sure of the extent of their injuries. we have 20 patients treated at university of colorado hospital. they are there now, minor to critical condition. the extent of their injuries we don't know. that was jackie montgomery, the spokesperson there who shared that information with us. swedish medical center there were three injuries that arrived there. two of them are in the o.r. now. one of them was treated and released. all young people by the way at that hospital. >> it would be for a showing of "the dark knight rises." all young people on twitter. in this twitter world we are getting firsthand accounts of people who say they were in that theater. this one from caitlin, you can see it there, shots fired in the theater. really chilling to see those words. the presence to write that. you can see her say oh, god, i don't know what to do. everybody please pray for my friend alex. our heart goes out to caitlin. this must have been a horrific thing to be through. later on she gives us details. she says they're putting us on a bus and taking to us a nearby high school now. these are accounts on twitter from someone named caitlin who says she was in the theater at the time. she says thank you for your prayers. her friend alex, she says, is still missing. >> reading from the denver post. they have a report out. one eyewitness says he saw a lot of people falling including one young girl. salina jordan, 19 years old in theater eight, saw people hit in her theater. she said one girl was struck in the cheek, others in the stomach, including a girl who looked to be around 9 years old. somebody else said it sounded like firecrackers until somebody ran into theater number eight yelling they're shooting out there. right next door to that theater, that there were gunshot wounds in her theater. maybe they went right through the wall. we can tell you two people have died here and there are multiple injuries. we talked to two local area hospitals who have received folks that are in critical condition. and some that