DENVER — The suburb of Aurora, Colo., will hold a Day of Remembrance on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of the slaughter of 12 people in a local movie theater.
The event is to remember “individuals who lost their lives, but also all of those who witnessed this tragedy,” Ernest Duff, program director of the Aurora Strong Resilience Center told the Denver Post. “It honors their lives and it honors the community’s commitment to remaining resilient and finding new ways to adapt in the face of tragedy.”
The center was set up to help residents deal with the trauma of the mass shooting, and a therapist from Aurora Mental Health will be available for counseling sessions.
On July 20, 2012, a gunman wearing body armor killed 12 people and injured 70 during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” at Aurora’s Century 16 theater.
James Holmes, a former neuroscience graduate student, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the shootings. His attorneys say he was gripped by a psychotic episode.