Psychiatrist warned police about Holmes

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CENTENNIAL, Colo., April 4 (UPI) -- A psychiatrist treating James Holmes warned police her patient was dangerous 38 days before he opened fire in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater, documents show.

The court documents unsealed Thursday by Arapahoe County District Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. revealed Dr. Lynne Fenton told police officer Lynn Whitten that Holmes had confessed homicidal thoughts and was a danger to the public, The Denver Post reported. Fenton also informed the officer Holmes had ended his appointments with her and had been sending her threatening text messages and emails, the documents say.

Search warrant affidavits reveal Whitten deactivated Holmes' key-card access to secure areas of University of Colorado medical campus buildings where he had been a student, the newspaper said.

The documents give no indication that any further action was taken, however, and on July 20 Holmes entered the movie theater and killed 12 people and wounded 58 others.

"Dr. Fenton advised (Whitten) that through her contact with James Holmes she was reporting, per her requirement, his danger to the public due to homicidal statements he had made," one search warrant affidavit states.

The Post said a source told it Fenton had declined to order Holmes detained on a 72-hour psychiatric hold.