Theater shooting flooded 911 center

AURORA, Colo., Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Calls flooded the Aurora, Colo., 911 dispatch center during a theater shooting July 20, police said in testimony at a preliminary hearing for the suspect.

In all, 41 calls were taken in 10 minutes when a gunman opened fire, the first call coming about 18 minutes after "The Dark Knight Rises" began to play. It came from theater patron Kevin Quinonez. He told dispatchers, his voice partially drowned out by gunshots, "There's some guy ... after us."

James Holmes is charged with 166 counts of murder, attempted murder and weapons violations in the massacre that killed 12 people and injured 58 others.

A packed courtroom that included some victims and family listened intently as the 911 tapes were played, The Denver Post said Tuesday.

Later in the hearing, police described the scene at Holmes' apartment, which he told investigators after being taken into custody he'd left booby-trapped. Bomb squad members described a twisted scene with an apartment rigged to explode and several triggers left behind, including a blaring stereo Holmes had hoped would lure someone inside to trigger a trip wire. He also rigged a remote control to detonate bombs and left the trigger sitting next to a remote-controlled car outside, hoping a child would pick it up and set off the bombs, police said.

The testimony came during the second day of a preliminary hearing before Chief Judge William Sylvester. Prosecutors intend to prove they have enough evidence to proceed to trial.

Prosecutors also showed surveillance video from outside the theater. A crush of panicked people rushed to flee the scene, including an employee who jumped a counter to escape the gunfire.

Police officer Jason Oviatt, the first person to encounter Holmes, 25, outside the theater, described the accused killer Monday as "very, very relaxed," CNN said.

Courtroom observers said Holmes sat still and emotionless during the second day of testimony. He did not speak.