Suspect in mass shooting at Batman premier called himself “the joker”

Denver: The suspect who opened fire the midnight premiere of the new Batman movie in suburban Denver Friday had coloured his hair red and said authorities he was "the Joker," in a reference to Batman's comic-book nemesis.

Holmes, a graduate student, suspect in the carnage, has surrendered peacefully and was due to make his first court appearance on Monday.

At least 12 people were killed and 58 were injured, one fewer than earlier reported, in the rampage at the midnight premiere of the movie in Aurora, about 16km from downtown Denver in Colorado state.

Christopher Nolan, director of “The Dark Knight Rises”, condemned the shooting as "savage" and "appalling.