Dark Knight Rises Shooting Victim Jessica Ghawi Remembered for Enthusiasm, Sense of Humor

Jessica Ghawi was an aspiring journalist and blogger well on her way to a promising media career.

"I only met her twice, but felt like I knew her for years, just goes to show how powerful of a personality she had online," Jesse Spector, a national hockey writer for Sporting News, told PEOPLE exclusively, after the 25-year-old was identified as one of the 12 reported victims of the Aurora, Colo., The Dark Knight Rises shooting on Friday. "She had such a bright future in this business, because people like that find a way to succeed."



On the night she died, Ghawi (who went by @JessicaRedfield on Twitter) was excitedly Tweeting about the movie, and conversing with Spector. She had 2,957 followers with whom she shared everything from her opinions on the NHL to excitement over being named a godmother.




"The thing that stood out to me most about Jessica was how sharp-witted she was, and funny at that," Spector said. "It's what made following her on Twitter so much fun. She was amazingly enthusiastic about hockey, journalism and life in general.

Ghawi's parents called KSAT 12 News in San Antonio to confirm her death early Friday morning.

Her brother Jordan, a student and firefighter, Tweeted, "this could easily be the worst night of my life," and is sharing with followers a website he set up to track how he found out and his journey to Denver.




Just last month, Ghawi wrote on her blog about narrowly avoiding the June 2 shooting at the Toronto Eaton Centre that killed 24-year old Ahmed Hassan.

"I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders' faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath," she wrote at the time.

"I say all the time that every moment we have to live our life is a blessing," she wrote. "So often I have found myself taking it for granted. Every hug from a family member. Every laugh we share with friends. Even the times of solitude are all blessings. Every second of every day is a gift."







While studying at The University of Texas at San Antonio, Ghawi interned at Ticket 760 Radio and KABB-TV, where her bubbly personality and ambition made her a indispensable member of both teams. Another internship would take her from San Antonio to Denver, where Ghawi joined the staff at Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan. An avid hockey fan, Ghawi was excited to cover The Colorado Avalanche for the station.

She used the pen name Redfield in honor of her grandmother, who always wanted to be a journalist, but "never had the chance," she once shared.

source: people.com

14 killed in shooting at Denver theater showing Batman film

DENVER, Colorado - A masked gunman killed 14 people and wounded 50 others when he opened fire on moviegoers at a showing of new Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" in the U.S. city of Denver in the early hours of Friday, police said.


Denver's KOA radio station said a figure in a gas mask had opened fire at the showing in a mall in the suburb of Aurora and set off a smoke or tear gas bomb before shooting erupted.





“This is a horrific event,” Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates told a news conference, adding that a suspect was in custody and that there was no evidence of a second gunman.

Oates said 10 people were killed at the scene and another four died later at local hospitals.

He said the suspect had claimed to have explosives at his residence and that the apartment complex where he lived had been evacuated and was being searched.

Police spokesman Frank Fania told CNN the suspect was in his 20s, wearing body armor and armed with a rifle and two handguns. He added that the gunman had set off some kind of smoke device in order to sow panic.

Witnesses described chaos chillingly similar to that depicted in the Batman films -- in which maniacal villains terrorize Gotham City -- suggesting the movie could have inspired the shooting spree.

They said several audience members had shown up in costumes, which could have allowed the gunman to blend in with the melee and complicated the arrest.

Police did not provide details about the killed and wounded, but the PG-13 film would have attracted scores of teenagers.

Random firing and explosions

One witness cited by the Denver Post said he was watching the film when he heard a series of explosions. Benjamin Fernandez, 30, said people ran from the theater and there were gunshots as officers shouted "Get down!"

Another witness described how, during one of the action scenes, there was gunfire and what sounded like firecrackers, but people thought it was coming from the movie.

"So we just kept watching the movie for a little bit," the witness, identified only as Jack, told ABC television. Then it became clear that there was a real gunman in the theater.

"Everyone started panicking after that, because people were getting hurt," he said.

CNN quoted one witness as saying he saw a "guy slowly making his way up the stairs and firing, picking random people." Another witness said the gunman opened fire during a shoot-out scene in the movie, leading to confusion.

"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," one witness told CNN.

"As soon as we got out, there were people running around and screaming." He said friends had told him the gunman was wearing a gas mask.

One man told the NBC affiliate that he was in the adjacent theater watching another screening of the Batman movie when he heard gunshots and the theatre filled with thick, choking smoke.

He saw bullets holes in the wall, and some people in his theater were wounded: "I heard moaning...they were in pain."

Columbine remembered

President Barack Obama, who was notified of the shooting on Friday morning by his homeland security adviser, John Brennan, urged Americans to "stand together" with the people of Aurora in the hours and days to come.

"Michelle and I are shocked and saddened by the horrific and tragic shooting in Colorado. Federal and local law enforcement are still responding, and my administration will do everything that we can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time," Obama said in a statement.

"As we do when confronted by moments of darkness and challenge, we must now come together as one American family," he added.

Colorado has suffered mass killings in the past. In 1999, two students opened fire at Columbine High School in the suburb of Littleton, near Denver, killing 12 students and a teacher. – AFP & Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com