Obama arrives in Aurora to meet with victims, loved ones of movie shooting

By Liz Goodwin

July 23, 2012

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.--President Obama arrived at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora Sunday afternoon and was greeted by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan and Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates. The four swiftly departed in a motorcade as lightning struck only a few miles away from the tarmac.

They are headed for a brief visit with the family members of the victims of Friday's mass shooting during a showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" movie. The event is closed to press.

Local officials spent yesterday collaborating with the FBI to safely detonate and defuse suspect James Holmes' "booby-trapped" apartment.

Obama departs at 6 pm for San Francisco, to kick off a three-day campaign tour that involves fundraisers in multiple states. Both Obama and challenger Mitt Romney pulled campaign ads in Colorado after the tragedy, and cancelled campaign events.

Local leaders welcomed the president's visit. "As awful as what they've been through and what they're going through has been having the president here is very, very powerful," Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said on CBS "Face the Nation" Sunday.