On a summer evening in Aurora, Colorado, 51-year-old Gordon Ware Cowden took his two teenage daughters to a midnight premiere of the new Batman movie, 'The Dark Knight Rises.' What was meant to be a special outing turned into a scene of unimaginable horror on July 20, 2012, when a lone gunman entered the theater and opened fire on the audience. Cowden was the oldest of the 12 people killed in the massacre. His two daughters, who were with him, managed to escape the theater physically unharmed.
Cowden, a resident of Aurora, was a real estate appraiser who owned his own business. Born in Waco, Texas, he was described by his family as a 'true Texas gentleman' with a great sense of humor and a deep devotion to his children. He was a man of strong faith who loved the outdoors. In the chaos of the attack, his last words were shouts of love to his daughters as he worked to get them to safety.
The perpetrator of the mass shooting was identified as James Eagan Holmes, who was 24 years old at the time. Dressed in tactical gear, Holmes threw tear gas canisters into the crowded theater before opening fire. He was arrested by police immediately following the attack outside the theater. Holmes was charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. During his trial, the defense argued that he was suffering from a severe mental illness. Ultimately, a jury sentenced Holmes to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
