AURORA, Colo. — They began arriving hours before the prayer vigil began Sunday, lugging shattered hearts as a thunderstorm crackled and light rain fell.By the time thousands had gathered outside Aurora's City Hall amid noticeably tight security, the sun had penetrated the clouds and the day's stifling heat had lifted.
As authorities continued to amass evidence in Friday's massacre inside an Aurora movie theater, Coloradans sought strength in the face of madness, packing church services and coming together as a community to remember the 12 who died.
PHOTOS: 'Dark Knight Rises' shooting
They were joined by President Obama, who met with victims and families at the University of Colorado Hospital, a short drive from where their lives were upended. He quoted from the Bible, Revelation 21:4.
"Scripture says that 'He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,'" Obama said.
Obama thanked police for their quick response and relayed the story of two friends, 19-year-old Allie Young and 21-year-old Stephanie Davies, who were watching "The Dark Knight Rises" when the gunman stormed the theater.
As a man flung at least one gas or smoke canister and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, Young stood up, Obama said, and was immediately shot in the neck. Her wound spurting blood, she dropped to the floor. Davies dragged her out of the aisle, dropped down with her and stuck her fingers in the wound to apply pressure.
Young told her to flee, Obama said, but Davies refused, staying until police arrived and arrested the suspect. Then, he said, Davies and others carried Young across two parking lots to ambulances.
She's going to be fine, he said.
"I don't know how many people at any age would have had the presence of mind that Stephanie did, or the courage that Allie showed," Obama said. People like them "represent what's best in us, and they assure us that out of this darkness a brighter day is going to come."
Earlier, a federal law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the shooter's AR-15 rifle jammed, and he switched to another weapon and begin firing again. Police have said they don't know how many rounds the shooter fired.
As Obama finished speaking and left Colorado for previously scheduled events in the Bay Area, the somber crowd at the nearby Aurora Municipal Center listened as clergy and civic leaders talked of perseverance and remembrance.
"It was almost like somehow God had come down and picked the most alive and vibrant people, and taken them from us," Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said. But "history tells us the pain of something like this never goes away completely, but we do get stronger and it will get easier to move forward. It will take days, or months, or even longer."
Responding to requests from victims' families who want their loved ones, not the shooter, remembered, Hickenlooper did not say the suspect's name.
"In our house, we're just going to call him Suspect A," he said.
Obama also refused to mention James E. Holmes.
"Although the perpetrator of this evil act has received a lot of attention over the last couple of days, that attention will fade away, and in the end, after he has felt the full force of our justice system, what will be remembered are the good people who were impacted by this tragedy," the president said.
Many at the vigil wept. Others closed their eyes in prayer or looked on in a daze. People walked up to police officers, strangers, shook their hands and thanked them for their response.
As authorities continued to amass evidence in Friday's massacre inside an Aurora movie theater, Coloradans sought strength in the face of madness, packing church services and coming together as a community to remember the 12 who died.
PHOTOS: 'Dark Knight Rises' shooting
They were joined by President Obama, who met with victims and families at the University of Colorado Hospital, a short drive from where their lives were upended. He quoted from the Bible, Revelation 21:4.
"Scripture says that 'He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,'" Obama said.
Obama thanked police for their quick response and relayed the story of two friends, 19-year-old Allie Young and 21-year-old Stephanie Davies, who were watching "The Dark Knight Rises" when the gunman stormed the theater.
As a man flung at least one gas or smoke canister and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, Young stood up, Obama said, and was immediately shot in the neck. Her wound spurting blood, she dropped to the floor. Davies dragged her out of the aisle, dropped down with her and stuck her fingers in the wound to apply pressure.
Young told her to flee, Obama said, but Davies refused, staying until police arrived and arrested the suspect. Then, he said, Davies and others carried Young across two parking lots to ambulances.
She's going to be fine, he said.
"I don't know how many people at any age would have had the presence of mind that Stephanie did, or the courage that Allie showed," Obama said. People like them "represent what's best in us, and they assure us that out of this darkness a brighter day is going to come."
Earlier, a federal law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the shooter's AR-15 rifle jammed, and he switched to another weapon and begin firing again. Police have said they don't know how many rounds the shooter fired.
As Obama finished speaking and left Colorado for previously scheduled events in the Bay Area, the somber crowd at the nearby Aurora Municipal Center listened as clergy and civic leaders talked of perseverance and remembrance.
"It was almost like somehow God had come down and picked the most alive and vibrant people, and taken them from us," Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said. But "history tells us the pain of something like this never goes away completely, but we do get stronger and it will get easier to move forward. It will take days, or months, or even longer."
Responding to requests from victims' families who want their loved ones, not the shooter, remembered, Hickenlooper did not say the suspect's name.
"In our house, we're just going to call him Suspect A," he said.
Obama also refused to mention James E. Holmes.
"Although the perpetrator of this evil act has received a lot of attention over the last couple of days, that attention will fade away, and in the end, after he has felt the full force of our justice system, what will be remembered are the good people who were impacted by this tragedy," the president said.
Many at the vigil wept. Others closed their eyes in prayer or looked on in a daze. People walked up to police officers, strangers, shook their hands and thanked them for their response.