President Meets Families of Aurora Shooting Victims

President Barack Obama spent several hours in Aurora on Sunday, meeting with the families of the twelve people killed in Friday’s movie theater shooting, as well as with survivors of the attack who were being treated at University of Colorado Hospital.

“I confessed to them that words are always inadequate in these kinds of situations,” Mr. Obama said after his meetings with families of those killed. He said he told them, “we are thinking about them at this moment and will continue to think about them each and every day.”

The President said that while the suspect in the shooting is getting lots of attention now, “that attention will fade away,” and that “after he has felt the full force of our justice system,” the “good people” will be remembered. The suspect, James Holmes, has his first court appearance at 9:30 Monday morning.

Later Sunday evening, thousands of people gathered outside the Aurora Municipal Building for a vigil to honor the victims of the shooting. Governor John Hickenlooper, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan, and other dignitaries addressed the gathering, and numerous clergy offered prayers for healing.