Aurora Shooting Victims’ Families Outraged by Invitation to Reopening
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The Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
ABC’s Carol McKinley and Clayton Sandell report:
Families of many of the victims killed in the Aurora, Colo. movie theater massacre are calling an invitation to attend “a special evening of remembrance” when the multiplex reopens later this month “disgusting” and “offensive.”
In a letter to the theater owner, Cinemark USA Inc., family members of nine of the murdered victims say the invitation to attend the event was ill-timed, at best. They are calling for a boycott of the theater.
“During the holiday we didn’t think anyone or anything could make our grief worse but you, Cinemark, have managed to do just that by sending us an invitation two days after Christmas inviting us to attend the re-opening of your theater in Aurora where our loved ones were massacred,” the letter says.
On July 20, James Holmes allegedly opened fire inside a crowded midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.” Twelve people were killed and 58 wounded. Holmes has not yet entered a plea.
An official with Plano, Texas-based Cinemark USA Inc. told ABC News Wednesday that the company has no comment on the letter from the families.
“I was appalled at their lack of sensitivity. It’s very upsetting,” Mary Ellen Hansen told ABC News. Hansen is the great-aunt of six-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan, who was killed in the attack. Hansen’s niece, Ashley Moser — Veronica’s mother — was paralyzed in the shooting and suffered a miscarriage.
“It’s been a horrible holiday season, and this letter came on my birthday, Dec. 27, which made it even worse,” said Tom Teves, who lost his son Alex in the July 20 shooting.
Family members of the victims say they received the invitation through the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance to attend the Jan. 17 reopening, followed by the screening of a movie. The film was not specified.
“Our family members will never be on this earth with us again and a movie ticket and some token words from people who didn’t care enough to reach out to us, nor respond when we reached out to them to talk, is appalling,” the families wrote. They said they “will be using every social media tool at our disposal to ask the other victims to ask their friends and family to honor us by boycotting the killing field of our children.”
Several lawsuits have already been filed against Cinemark by families of the victims killed as well as some theatergoers wounded that night, citing inadequate security at the theater.
A preliminary hearing in Holmes’ case is scheduled for Monday.
HERE IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER:
To the Management of Cinemark USA, Inc.:
During the holiday we didn’t think anyone or anything could make our grief worse but you, Cinemark, have managed to do just that by sending us an invitation two days after Christmas inviting us to attend the re-opening of your theater in Aurora where our loved ones were massacred.Thanks for making what is a very difficult holiday season that much more difficult. Timing is everything and yours is awful.
You (Cinemark) has shown, and continues to show, ZERO compassion to the families of the victims whose loved ones were killed in their theater. You, Cinemark, have never once reached out to the families to offer condolences.
This disgusting offer that you’d “like to invite you and a guest to a special evening of remembrance on Thursday, January 17 at 5 PM “followed by the showing of a movie and then telling us to be sure “to reserve our tickets “is wholly offensive to the memory of our loved ones.
Our family members will never be on this earth with us again and a movie ticket and some token words from people who didn’t care enough to reach out to us, nor respond when we reached out to them to talk, is appalling.
You (Cinemark) refused our repeated invitations to speak parent to parent with no lawyers involved. Instead, we get invited to attend a “special evening of remembrance” at the very theater where our loved ones lay dead on the floor for over 15 hours. We would give anything to wipe the carnage of that night out of our minds’ eye. Thank you for reminding us how your quest for profits has blinded your leadership and made you so callous as to be oblivious to our mental anguish.
We, the families, recognize your thinly veiled publicity ploy for what it is: A great opportunity for you to distance yourselves and divert public scrutiny from your culpability in this massacre.
After reading our response to your ridiculously offensive invitation, you now know why we will not be attending your re-opening celebration and will be using every social media tool at our disposal to ask the other victims to ask their friends and family to honor us by boycotting the killing field of our children.
The Families of the Aurora Cinemark Theatre Massacre
Thomas Teves (father of Alex Teves)
Caren Teves (mother of Alex Teves)
Sandy Phillips (mother of Jessica Ghawi)
Lonnie Phillips (stepfather of Jessica Ghawi)
Jerri Jackson (mother of Matt McQuinn)
Greg Medek (father of Micayla Medek)
Rena Medek (mother of Micayla Medek)
Anita Busch (cousin of Greg and Micayla Medek)
Robert Wingo, (father of Rebecca Ann Wingo’s two children)
Scott Larimer (father of John Larimer)
Kathleen Larimer (mother of John Larimer)
Jessica Watts (cousin of Jonathan Blunk)
Robert Sullivan (grandfather of Veronica Moser-Sullivan)
Sue Sullivan (grandmother of Veronica Moser-Sullivan)
Cassandra Sullivan (widow of Alex Sullivan)
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The families are overreacting. The proper response would be, “Thank you for the invitation but we are not able to attend at this time.” The theater didn’t kill their loved ones, why be crass and strike out at innocent people? Lack of breeding or upbringing, I guess.
Posted by: JennaM | January 2, 2013, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
They would have been doomed if they didn’t send out the invites. Everyone is SO upset about everything these days… feel slighted, SUE! We have become a nation of hurt feelings.
Posted by: sherob | January 2, 2013, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
suing for lack of security? ironic how i bet many suing disagree with wayne lapierre’s call for armed guards at schools- if so, how hypocritical is that? gaurds unarmed wouldnt stop the massacre so did they want armed guards?? these people are morons to the nth degree
Posted by: ridculous | January 2, 2013, 6:38 pm 6:38 pm
I think their lawsuits are without merit. The theater did nothave anything to do with a crazy with a gun killing their loved ones. Be mad at him. But suing the theater, really!
Posted by: Kris | January 2, 2013, 6:47 pm 6:47 pm
uh….if one of my family members were gunned down like what happened at the movie theatre in Aurora, I would be offended by an invitation like this. If Cinemark wanted to reach out to them, this is certainly not the way to do it. It is in poor taste indeed and I have to agree with the families, as I would feel the same way if I were in their shoes. I live in Centennial, CO a stone’s throw away from this theatre and drive by it often. My skin crawls just driving by it, and in my opinion, it should be razed. If your mother, sister, son, brother, daughter, etc, were shot and lay dead in a pool of blood in a building and then you were invited to go back for a public event, and on top of that asked to reserve tickets, would you do it? If your kid was gunned down in an elementary school, would you want to go back on the “grand reopening” of that school to attend an open house for another one of your children? I would love to hear if somebody responds yes.
Posted by: Coloradan | January 2, 2013, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Honestly, I agree that they are totally over reacting. Why is the blame being put onto this theatre? What could the theatre have done to stop this massacre? You can’t protect people from every nut job. It makes no sense, it’s like saying the school board is responsible for what happened in Sandy Hook. Blame the person responsible for the shooting, who is an obvious nut case, so won’t do any real hard time.
Posted by: Les | January 2, 2013, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
How is the theater wrong… geez… sue happy greedy people!
Posted by: Heidi | January 2, 2013, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
I never said the theatre is to blame. I don’t believe they are. I just don’t think they should have sent out this type of invitation to the families. And btw, nobody answered my original question.
Posted by: Coloradan | January 2, 2013, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
Coloradian: Yes I would want to go back. This crazed person tooked a loved one, but I would not let him take my life. You still have to go on living. How many families of those lost on 9/11 walk by the memorial. You don’t think they are hurting. Shoud we shut down the theatre, the schools? If so we are letting the crazies win.
Posted by: IMO | January 2, 2013, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
Would you go back to THAT theatre, if YOUR family member were shot and killed to enjoy something like a movie? If you would, that’s your prerogative. I personally think it’s offensive, just like the 9/11 kin of victims found it offensive to have their loved ones unidentified remains placed in the “museum” at the ground zero site. I don’t agree with the families suing the theatre chain as I don’t think what happened was Cinermark’s fault. All I am agreeing to is the offensiveness of the invitation.
Posted by: Coloradan | January 2, 2013, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
You have a better chance of being struck by a Meteror than dying in a massacre such as Auroa’s. The people need to know that the theater is not responsible. Just like Columbine High School was not responsible. Evil exists. Enough said. If the victims would look at it from Cinemark’s point of view, I think their tone would change. No one wanted that to happen. And if you do not think that Cinemark doesn’t feel bad about it, then, you are as CRAZY as the moron who was responsible for the incident!
The victims are mad at the wrong people. Their anger needs to be focused in the right direction and at the RIGHT person.
Posted by: DrTek | January 2, 2013, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
I guess we see things differently – I believe may family would want me to enjoys the movies…even if it was at the theatre were they were killed. We do agree on the suing issue – not the theatre’s fault. HAPPY 2013
Posted by: IMO | January 2, 2013, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
I NEVER SAID IT WAS CINEMARK’S FAULT! GOOD GRIEF!
Posted by: Coloradan | January 2, 2013, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
It’s evident that whoever thought of this just doesn’t understand why people would not want to sit in the dark room watching a movie where their loved ones died and suffered — now or ever. But I don’t think you can sue someone over being clueless. Rather than over-react, as they are doing, the families should have simply let the press display it as some sort of bizarre corporate gaffe, and let go of it.
Posted by: Steve | January 2, 2013, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
“Family members of the victims say they received the invitation through the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance to attend the Jan. 17 reopening, followed by the screening of a movie. The film was not specified.” How is Cinemark to blame? Victims Assistance sent the invitations, id be calling them insensitive. Or am I the only one who read the whole article and noticed that. Sending Cinemark hatemail for something someone else sent dosent make any sense to me at all, id be boycotting Victims Assisstance and sending them hatemail using all available media means, after all (again i point it out) they sent the invitations….
Posted by: Hearse Driver | January 2, 2013, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm
They couldn’t (wouldn’t) sue the gun maker. But they sure could sue the theater.
Posted by: Duni | January 2, 2013, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
I think that was not a good idea at all because the family members are NOT interested in the least to go to the theatre at all at least if effected me I would NEVER EVER want to go there NOT at all.
Posted by: Carol | January 2, 2013, 7:40 pm 7:40 pm
With all due respect victims families how about we bulldoze Virginia Tech or Columbine High School just down the road? After all they are slaughter houses too. Lets forget the money that Cinemark put into the theater and let them have a massive loss and put a lot of low income earners who work at the theater out of work. The movie theater was trying to be nice by offering you a ticket and a chance for Aurora to rise like a pheonix and not give into the will of a madman.
Posted by: MAtt | January 2, 2013, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm
I understand the hurt the families must feel at the loss of their loved ones at that theater, but suing the theater is inappropriate as no one knew there was going to be a shooting that night. I too feel like the families are overreacting to the invitation, as it’s not like the theater was wanting to have a party to celebrate the deaths. The families should have just said no thanks. It’s very unfortunate many times killings occur at a business, but every business where a killing happens cannot close down because they are afraid of offending the families of the victims. I think an appropriate amount of time has gone by at that theater that they should reopen with new and better security measures. Society cannot all hide under rocks, we should be able to live life and at least have some enjoyment.
Posted by: Lynne | January 2, 2013, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
Soon everything in America will be disgusting and offensive.
Posted by: Torquemada | January 2, 2013, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
Unless you’ve lost a loved one to violence, you will not understand how offensive this invite is
Posted by: Cathy Brown Bergmann | January 2, 2013, 8:30 pm 8:30 pm
Torquemada: In that case if soon everything in America will be disgusting and offensive there’s always a train, airline, bus or ship travel ticket that can be purchased to a place that feels more comfortable and appealing.
Posted by: Lynne | January 2, 2013, 9:41 pm 9:41 pm
either way the families would of made an issue about the theatre re-opening. And they are trying to sue the theatre for inadequate security? Holmes was a madman and he still would of gone and shot people or went somewhere else to do it. the theatre has to re-open and the owners were trying do something nice for the people affected, they didn’t mean any harm.
Posted by: John Doe | January 2, 2013, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
Unless I’m missing something, I think the point of the victims’ families’ response is that the movie theater managers never expressed their condolences or sorrow. The only contact the families have had is from this insensitive invitation. Did they overreact? I’m not sure. If my loved one had been murdered and the theater owners and lawyers acted in such a cold-hearted way, I might be picketing the theater right now. I think this is what happens when a corporation responds to human beings. Despite GOP declarations that corporations are people, I think not. They are empty-hearted money machines that don’t care about human beings or society.
Posted by: Roscoe Chait | January 3, 2013, 12:13 am 12:13 am
life must go on if we y
tear down every building
that has a past wont b any left
Posted by: kris | January 3, 2013, 12:56 am 12:56 am
Yep, I agree….the families are overreacting, though I don’t think Cinemark should have sent the families an invitation. It should have just been an open invitation to the public through a display ad in the local newspaper.
Posted by: Danny | January 3, 2013, 12:59 am 12:59 am
Also, I don’t think the families should discourage others from attending the theater. That’s just being vindictive. They are directing their anger at the wrong party. In reality, Cinemark is a victim as well. Nobody could have foreseen what happened. All families in this city should continue to have an entertainment venue to see movie releases. Though now that we’ve seen a marked increase in this type of gun violence, businesses that serve the masses have a responsibility to have armed security and/or even metal detectors. Plus, we need to have much better gun control laws.
Posted by: Danny | January 3, 2013, 1:21 am 1:21 am
Talk about overreacting. Had they not extended the invite, the same thing would have occurred. Nasty letter… attempts to boycott. And for all they know, this night of remembrance could have involved a dedication to the victims, a silver plaque with all of their names, a wall of honor, a statue…. who knows.
Posted by: Moni | January 3, 2013, 2:07 am 2:07 am
You don’t understand why they are upset?? You would go sit down in a theater that had been repainted and repaired knowing that your son or daughter had died on that floor right below you only 6 months earlier??? How cold hearted are you? I can totally understand why they would be insulted by the invitation. It was like saying hey we repainted and are reopening the theater and we never sent our condolences but would you like to come sit down were your families/ children were killed and watch a movie???
Posted by: gloria | January 3, 2013, 2:15 am 2:15 am
I live in Aurora near this theater and could have been there that night myself. But I still I think these people are overacting. The families are misplacing their anger. I do not blame them if they could not handle going to that theater, but I do not see any intentional insensitivity on the part of CineMark. I think it is quite respectful of them to stage a rememberance.
If CineMark hadn’t sent the invitation, that would have been deemed insensitive as well. Or if they didn’t bother doing a rememberance. Or remodeling for that matter. But then some people wanted the theater torn down. I would not expect the theater to be made to take any more financial loss than they already have.
The theater did make statements in regards to the incident this past summer. It seems this letter may be referring to the theater not responding regarding the lawsuits (since it said “with no lawyers involved”) which would make sense.
As far lawsuits over security; the theater is not responsible for the actions of Holmes. This honestly could have happened anywhere at any time. It isn’t really expected for a movie theater to have “security” like an event center or airport. Also this theater actually has regular police presence on nights and weekends any way, plus it is located directly across the street from the court house and police department. So there wasn’t much more “security” to be had unless you really think it necessary to be patted down and scanned just to see a movie. (Which wouldn’t have changed much since Holmes brought the guns in through an emergency exit door.) That makes me feel about as safe as when I see metal detectors at a school.
Posted by: Ead | January 3, 2013, 2:43 am 2:43 am
They should get their money back on the consultation on reopening the theater. What a stumblebum thing to do
Posted by: saireygamp62 | January 3, 2013, 4:08 am 4:08 am
I sympathize for the families of the victims in the tragic way their loved ones lost their lives. However, you can’t blame the movie theater because someone went crazy and murdered their loved ones. I think their rage is justified – but instead of taking it out on the theater, which will only result in the theater closing down and people losing their jobs if they get what they want – they should instead go after the laws that keep us from defending ourselves against gun wielding loonies. Unite in an effort to save others from getting harmed later. This is awful and I feel for the families. I pray for the angels in heaven to give give the families members comfort and peace.
Posted by: Tamera Lynn | January 3, 2013, 5:36 am 5:36 am
If they were trying to be insensitive they would invite them to the screening of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I am sure they were just thinking that they would be criticized if they didn’t acknowledge them somehow. Free movie tickets for life will never replace their family members lost.
Posted by: Movie Lover | January 3, 2013, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Wow, so many people here missing the point ENTIRELY. Yes, their lawsuit is misplaced, but I don’t think that’s the point of the story. The point of the story is how this invitation is EXTREMELY inappropriate. It’s not that difficult to see why they’re extremely upset. Really, it isn’t. It’s called empathy. I’m disturbed at how many here don’t have it.
Posted by: Brandon | January 3, 2013, 11:29 pm 11:29 pm
Given the fact that Cinemark is also a victim of this tragedy, I think it (and/or the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance) is to be commended for attempting to do the right thing. And yes, sometimes the right thing can be used for positive publicity, and there is nothing wrong with that. And yes, sometimes the right thing can be done at the wrong time, which may be the case here. I think that Cinemark/COVA should have been sensitive to the location of the event, and instead offered to host two different events: one remembrance ceremony off-site, and a separate re-opening on-site for those who wished to attend.
What I find so unfortunate, however, is the letter by the victims’ families. This is a poorly written document filled with barely-contained anger and passive-aggressiveness which, at this point, serves only to fan the flames of high emotions for victims, victims’ families, and the general public.
Posted by: Unfortunate | January 4, 2013, 10:21 am 10:21 am