Denver Native Reacts To Movie Theater Shooting

A South Dakota woman, who grew up in Colorado, isn't surprised by the shooting in Aurora that's killed a dozen people and wounded dozens more.

Marisa Brown moved her family here to get away from the violence and she's very familiar with the theater where the shooting took place.

Brown is a native of Denver. Her husband grew up in Aurora, a suburb of Denver.  They were married in a church located just a half-mile from the theater where so many lives were lost last night.  The shooting is a tragic reminder of the violence she grew up with.

The bloodbath at an Aurora movie theater sends chills through Brown's memories of her home state.

"The second movie my husband and I ever went to together was at that movie theater.  So that was kind of a little bit close to home," Brown said.

Brown's brother-in-law was planning to attend Thursday night's showing of The Dark Knight, but changed his mind.

"He wanted to go to the IMAX version of it which they don't have the IMAX theater there and I think we're glad that he didn't," Brown said.

The Browns left Colorado five years ago for the safety of small town South Dakota.
    
"For one thing, I can leave him out to play and go inside for five minutes and not fear for his safety.  In Denver, there's no way I would do that," Brown said.

The peaceful, rural setting of South Dakota is a stark contrast to Brown's early years in Colorado.

"There were always stabbings and people getting in fights and people beating the heck out of each other in my high school, and it was just better to keep you head down and try to stay away from it was much as possible, so that's what we did," Brown said.

From the safe distance of her South Dakota home, Brown is grateful for being far removed from the cycle of violence that's claimed more lives in Colorado.

"I'm not sure what else can be done.  Everyone out there seems to be so intent on hurting each other and it just kind of boggles the mind," Brown said.

Some members of Brown's former church in Aurora were at the theater last night.  But she's learned through Facebook that they are all okay.
    
Brown is planning to return to Denver in September to attend her brother-in-law's wedding.