Shooting victim just missed Eaton Centre gunfire

One of the victims of the Colorado movie theatre shooting narrowly missed witnessing another shooting — in the food court at Toronto's Eaton Centre last month.

News of the shooting at The Dark Knight Rises premiere first broke on Twitter early Friday morning from panicked moviegoers trying to make sense of what they'd just experienced.

And as the morning wore on and the police investigation continued, the name of one of the victims appeared on Twitter.

"My friend Jessica Ghawi was killed in the #Aurora Shooting — she was an aspiring sportscaster — she will be missed," Natalie Tejeda (@natalietejeda) tweeted Friday morning.

Ghawi's parents told KSAT-TV in San Antonio, Texas, that their daughter, who had recently moved to Denver, was killed in the shooting, the station reported.

Ghawi's brother Jordan wrote on his blog that their mutual friend, who was with Ghawi at the theatre, said Ghawi was shot twice, and the second bullet "appeared to strike her in the head."

Ghawi, who went by the Twitter handle @JessicaRedfield, last tweeted "MOVIE DOESN'T START FOR 20 MINUTES," just after 10:30 p.m. local time to another Twitter user whom she'd been teasing for not going to the premiere.

And in an eerie coincidence, Ghawi's last entry on her personal blog was about witnessing the aftermath of the shooting in the Eaton Centre on June 2.

Busted Coverage, a sports blog Ghawi wrote for, tweeted a link to her last blog post.

She had been at the Eaton Centre and grabbed a burger and poutine in the food court. She had initially been looking for sushi — which would have led her to the sit-down sushi restaurant and prolonged her time in the food court — but "an odd feeling" led her outside, she wrote.

"Gun crimes are fairly common where I grew up in Texas, but I never imagined I'd experience a violent crime first hand," she wrote on June 5.

The receipt for her burger was time-stamped 6:20 p.m. Gunshots rang out in the food court only minutes later.

Outside the mall, chaos descended on the streets as emergency vehicles arrived on scene.

"Standing there in the midst of the chaos all around us, police started yelling to get back and make room. I saw a young shirtless boy, writhing on a stretcher, with his face and head covered by the EMS as they rushed him by us to get him into an ambulance," Ghawi wrote. "The moment was surprisingly calm. The EMTs helping the boy weren't yelling orders and no one was screaming like a night time medical drama. It was as if it was one swift movement to get the boy out of the mall and into the ambulance. That's when it really hit me. I felt nauseous. Who would go into a mall full of thousands of innocent people and open fire? Is this really the world we live in?"

"I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday," she wrote a few days after the shooting. "I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end."

culled from ifpress.com

James Holmes suspected in Colorado theatre shooting rampage

Police break a window of the apartment where the suspect in the shooting at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colo., lived.

WASHINGTON—U.S. law enforcement officials say the suspect in Friday’s deadly shooting in a Colorado movie theatre is James Holmes, a 24-year-old white American.

Officials believe Holmes killed a dozen people when he fired into a crowded movie theatre in a Denver suburb. He was wearing a gas mask and set off an unknown gas in the theatre.

The Defence Department says Holmes never served in the Army.

Holmes is in police custody, and the FBI says there is no indication the incident is tied to any terrorist groups.

The federal law enforcement officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Colorado theatre shooting: 14 dead after gunman opens fire on ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ audience

AURORA, COLO.—A gunman wearing a gas mask opened fire early Friday at a suburban Denver movie theatre on the opening night of the latest Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 people and injuring at least 50 others, authorities said.

The gunman, who is in custody, stood at the front of the theatre and fired into the crowd about 12:30 a.m. MDT at a theatre at a multiplex theatre in a mall in Aurora.

“Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire,” Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said at a news conference.

Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed on the scene after frantic calls started flooding the 911 switchboard, officials said.

Officers found the gunman near a car behind the theatre.

Police have identified the suspect as James Holmes, 24. There was no immediate word of any motive.

When the suspect was arrested, police recovered one rifle, one handgun and a gas mask. A third gun is still inside the theatre, police said in a statement.

The suspect spoke of “possible explosives in his residence,” Oates said. Police used a crane to hoist themselves up to an apartment window on the third floor at the top of the brick complex and break in.

He said police also checked for explosives in the parking lot and at the Century 16 theatre and secured those areas.

Police spokesman Frank Fania said the suspect was carrying a knife, a rifle and a handgun when arrested, and one other gun is still in the theatre. The gunman was also wearing a bulletproof vest.

“He did not resist, he did not put up a fight,” Fania said. The suspect's apartment building has been evacuated.

Salina Jordan, 19, was in Theater 8 and saw people hit in her theatre. She told the Denver Post one girl was struck in the cheek, others in the stomach, including a girl who looked to be around 9 years old.

Jordan said it sounded like firecrackers until someone ran into Theater 8 yelling “they're shooting out here!”

The police came running in, telling people to run out. Some police were carrying or dragging bodies, she said.

Witness Hayden Miller told KUSA-TV that he was inside Theater 16 and heard several shots.

“Like little explosions going on and shortly after that we heard people screaming,” he told the station.

Hayden said at first he thought it was part of a louder movie next door. But then he saw “people hunched over leaving theatre.”

Moviegoers didn't know what was happening and some thought the attack was part of the show. Then they saw a silhouette of a person in the smoke at the front of the theatre near the screen, pointing a gun at the crowd.

“I told my friend 'we've got to get out of here,' but then he shot people trying to go out the exits,” Jennifer Seeger told NBC's “Today.” She said the shooter made his way up the aisle, shooting as he went, saying nothing.

Another witness told CNN: “We heard anywhere from 10 to 20 shots and little explosions going on. Shortly after that we heard people screaming. Then they came on PA system and said everyone needed to get out.

“As soon as we got out, there were people running around and screaming.”

Another witness said the gunman opened fire during a shoot-out scene in the movie, leading to confusion. The theatre also filled with thick smoke, he said.

The police chief said 10 victims died at the theatre and two at area hospitals.

Two people in critical condition were rushed to nearby Swedish Medical Center, spokeswoman Nicole Williams said.

She said emergency crews told her staff to prepare for several more patients from the shooting scene.

Nine people were in critical condition at University Hospital, TV station KCNC reported. Many were in surgery.

Eleven people were being treated at the Medical Center of Aurora for gunshots and ranged from minor to critical condition. Two others walked in to be treated for tear gas contamination.

Denver Health had seven victims — one in critical and the rest in fair condition.

The youngest victim reported was a 6-year-old being treated at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where a total of six victims were taken. Their condition wasn’t known.

U.S. President Barack Obama said he was “shocked and saddened” by the massacre.

“We are committed to bringing whoever was responsible to justice, ensuring the safety of our people, and caring for those who have been wounded. As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family,” Obama said in a statement.

Aurora is located on the southeast outskirts of Denver, about 16 kilometres from downtown.

With files from Reuters

Video: Witness recalls the theatre shooting:

A Boeing 727-200 Home Project

An option to a new $200K stick home:  A used multimillion dollar aerospace quality home.

Bruce Campbell of Portland, Oregon,USA has converted a Boeing 727 Jet to a home. Paying $100,000 to Olympic Airways in Greece.He acquired the jet at the end of its flying life from Olympic Airways in Greece, had it flown from Athens to Oregon, and finally towed to his land. (The average home in the USA costs $186,000-so $100,000 doesnt seem too bad).

Arsenal first-team stars going to Nigeria

Arsenal Football Club has announced four first-team players are to travel to Nigeria to take part in activities with regional partners and engage with supporters in the region.

Tomas Rosicky, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and new signing Lukas Podolski will be travelling to Lagos with Club officials for a flying visit the weekend after next. The players will take part in Club events and other activities organised by the Club’s partners, Malta Guinness and Airtel.


Source: Arsenal

Rick Ross to Headline Summer Jamz Fest 2012 Concert In Lagos

On Friday, August 17, 2012, Miami's very own William Leonard Roberts II popularly known as Rick Ross will storm the commercial nerve center of Lagos, Nigeria for the Summer Jam Fest 2012 concert at the exquisite Eko hotel and Suites. Rick Ross came into fame in 2006 after his debut album titles "Port of Miami" got both gold and platinum certifications. He will headline the concert alongside other Nigerian acts. The concert is largely sponsored by St. Eve Concepts Limited. 

St. Eve Concepts is an internal Wellness and Enzymatic Weight Management Company which was founded in 2006 and remains the first and only Enzymatic Health care service provider in West Africa. In 2010, St. Eve Concepts launched a quarterly magazine about health, beauty, fashion and lifestyle called St. Eve Magazine. It would be recalled that Rick Ross released his fifth studio album “God Forgives, I Don’t” earlier this year and also collaborated with hit Nigerian duet P-Square on the remix of the well-known song “Beautiful Oyinye, a song that has dominated the airwaves since it debuted. Watch the video HERE.

Microbell Ent @microbellentMMG presents Wizkid live in Canada

Microbell Media Group presents International artist Wizkid in Canada for the first time with artist SKALES (EME), for scheduled concert dates July 20, 2012 in Toronto at Lagondola Banquet Hall, located at 227 Bowes Rd., Vaughan, ON. L4K 1H8, and July 21, 2012 in Vancouver at The Hungarian Hall, located at 728 Kingsway.  Advance tickets are on sale for $40, VIP $60 and more at the door. The public can call for tickets:            (289)356-6109       and for more information call:             (647) 606-4187       or email: microbellmediagroup@gmail.com

Wizkid won “Best International Act: Africa” at the 2012 BET Awards on last week, and has just wrapped up his UK tour. The Pepsi Brand Ambassador for Africa, has a number of accomplishments under his belt including being crowned “Best African Artist” at the 2011 UK MOBO Awards.

Canadian fans are anticipating electrifying performances by Wizkid and SKALES, and their excitement can be viewed online via twitter hashtag #wizkidinToronto or #wizkidinVancouver. 

Youtube videos are surfacing for dance competitions to Wizkid’s music across the nation for a chance to hang out with the artist.

Check out a dance video entry for the competition: http://youtu.be/SOZbzlS_1AA 

See Wizkid’s personal confirmation video for Canada Tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJIr-JXeS4

Wizkid Toronto Concert Promotional Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIOfAzJaMO8

Video promo for Wizkid’s Vancouver Concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhKvW3y9KNs