Following is an abbreviated version of the “Timeline of Notable Events” from the Aurora theater shooting report. The Aurora Police Department compiled the information using radio and telephone recordings and records.
The full timeline is available in the .
12:09:01 a.m. Call for loud music at 1690 Paris Street #10. Elapsed time: 29 minutes, 18 seconds before shooting
12:38:37 First call of a shooting is received by Public Safety Dispatch. Elapsed time: 0:00
12:39:22 Sixth call of gunshots at Century theater, hundreds running out of the building. Caller believes it was in theater 10 or 9. Caller reports 16 to 20 shots, at 00:41:58 (caller reports three police cars on scene). Elapsed time: 0:45
12:39:38 First police units are dispatched for a shooting at Century Theaters. Elapsed time: 1:01
12:40:03 Dispatch airs that at least one person shot with hundreds running around. Elapsed time: 1:26
12:40:29 The first car, Cruiser 11, a sergeant, on PD-2 calls out on scene. Elapsed time: 1:52
12:40:31 Call from a manager. Does not know if anyone was shot or just firecrackers. Just saw customers running out of the building. Elapsed time: 1:54
12:40:57 First fire units are dispatched on a shooting at Century Theaters. Elapsed time: 2:20
12:41:35 Dispatch notifies Denver (Police) and Arapahoe (Sheriff’s Office) on MetroNet of an active shooter, no response requested at that time. Elapsed time: 2:58
12:41:34 Call taker asks if the person on the line is hurt, she says no but there are dead people in there. Elapsed time: 2:57
12:42:53 Caller asks what is going on at the theater. He does not know what is going on or what he should do. Said he was in theater 8 and that there were some fireworks that went off. He was pretty sure they were not shots. Elapsed time: 4:16
12:42:59 Dispatch airs to Engine 8, Battalion 1 and Medic 109 that they are needed hot to the front of the theaters, so far they have one party shot. Elapsed time: 4:22
12:43:08 Caller states trying to help a person shot in the leg, Victim is calling his wife. EMD started. Elapsed time: 4:31
12:43:14 Caller states they are at Centerpoint and Sable with victim hit in the head, below the ear, sirens heard in the background, caller sees medics and is told to wave them down. Elapsed time: 4:37
12:44:15 216 airs we need gas masks in 9, can’t get into 9. Elapsed time: 5:38
12:44:35 EMD started but caller cannot hear because the movie is too loud, caller states she cannot do CPR, call taker tries to talk her through it, at 00:48:46 the caller reports the police are there. Elapsed time: 5:58
12:44:38 Cruiser 10 airs “get us some damn gas masks for theater 9, we can’t get in it.” Elapsed time: 6:01
12:44:55 Caller reports that she is in theater 9 and that the shooting is stopped, she reports that she and her family are not injured but that others around her may be, the call taker has her stay in the theater if she is safe there. When asked if it was gunshots or fireworks, she relates she saw fireworks. Call taker tells her that officers are on scene and the fire department is standing by. At 12:47:40 the caller relates the police have come in. Elapsed time: 6:18
12:46:16 Cruiser 11 asks to hold the air and asks if that is a suspect with the white car in the rear of the lot. Elapsed time: 7:39
12:46:22 216A confirms it is a suspect and that he has rifles, gas masks, is detained right now, and that there is an open door into the theater. Elapsed time: 7:45
12:46:23 Dispatch notifies Denver to notify Denver General that we have a multitude of parties shot and that they may be getting patients. Elapsed time: 7:46
12:47:05 Cruiser 25 airs that he has two victims on the east side/north side of the theater and will need an ambulance quick. Elapsed time: 8:28
12:47:22 210 airs he has one immobile on the east side he cannot get to rescue shot twice in the back. Elapsed time: 8:45
12:47:56 Cruiser 10 airs we need rescue inside the auditorium, multiple victims. Elapsed time: 9:19
12:48:12 Lincoln 25 directs rescue to stage at the Dillard’s lot and states “I need as many ambulances as we can to the Dillard’s lot.” L25 asks to have the fire trucks stage in the Dillard’s lot also and he will get them (firefighters) inside to triage people and get them out. He asks that they get ready and get litters to the front of the theater. Elapsed time: 9:35
12:48:44 302A takes one male to the hospital in his police car (first transport of an injured victim by police). Elapsed time: 10:07
12:49:24 Dispatch contacts Denver (Police) on MetroNet and asks for any officers available to respond that we have at least 12 people shot. Elapsed time: 10:47
12:49:30 ERT commander notified. First formal notification to call in off duty officers. Time approximated. Elapsed time: 10:53
12:49:34 Cruiser 10 airs he has a child victim needs rescue at the back door of theater 9 now. Elapsed time: 10:57
12:50:32 216 asks for immediate medical to theater 9, he has seven down. Elapsed time: 11:55
12:50:37 Lincoln 25 responds to 216 that he is trying to get them there but he does not have enough medical people there yet. Elapsed time: 12:00
12:51:10 Metro 10 airs that the suspect states he is alone but the officer is getting conflicting information from witnesses. Elapsed time: 12:33
12:51:25 Cruiser 11 airs that the inside is secure and they are bringing out bodies, has three to seven hit and asks for Rescue to the back of theater 9. Metro 10 airs that the suspect states he is alone but the officer is getting conflicting information from witnesses. Elapsed time: 12:48
12:51:49 321 on PD-3 asks for Rescue on the north east corner so he can start extracting victims. Elapsed time: 13:12
12:51:58 Lincoln 25 on PD-3 airs that he has 1 ambulance, he needs every medical person in the city there. Elapsed time: 13:21
12:52:15 Engine 8.4 airs to command he has, on the northeast corner, four reds (badly injured) with APD bringing out more victims from the back, he needs at least one AFD unit and two ambulances right away. Elapsed time: 13:38
12:52:30 Cruiser 10 asks for a medical crew in 9 for an eviscerated victim. Elapsed time: 13:53
12:52:47 Dispatch airs on MetroNet to all metro agencies requesting emergency response to the theater for an active shooter with multiple patients. Elapsed time: 14:10
12:53:13 Dispatch airs that PD is requesting as many medical personnel as possible to the Dillard’s to assist with patients, we have two additional engines en route and a child down outside. Elapsed time: 14:36
12:53:40 216 asks to have the movie shut off in theater 9. Elapsed time: 15:09
12:54:18 Metro 10 asks Lincoln 25 if he can start taking victims by car, he has a whole bunch of people shot and no Rescue. Elapsed time: 15:42
12:54:24 Medic 102 airs they have a patient shot in the face/neck and asks if they should take him. Elapsed time: 15:47
12:54:27 Lincoln 25 airs “yes, load em up, get em in cars, get em out of here.” Elapsed time: 15:50
12:54:43 Dispatcher asks what hospitals the police are taking victims to so they can make notifications. Lincoln 25 replies to notify all of them. Elapsed time: 16:06
12:55:02 201A airs on TAC 11 that he is running hot with a gunshot victim to south (Second patient transported by police). Elapsed time: 16:25
12:55:21 Battalion 1 airs he is assuming command, wants a count on who is coming in (fire apparatus) and all ambulances not on scene to stage at Sable and Exposition until they gets this sorted out. Elapsed time: 16:44
12:55:46 Dispatch airs to Battalion 1 that she has Engine 2, Truck 2, Engine 4 assigned to Dillard’s, Division and Engine 5 en route. She relates again that PD is requesting medical personnel in theater 9, they have a child down and cannot evacuate. Elapsed time: 17:09
12:56:22 216 airs he has 10 behind theater 9. Elapsed time: 17:45
12:56:34 Metro 10 airs that they need rescue or more patrol cars to the east side, we’re just going to take these people. Elapsed time: 17:57
12:57:08 Cruiser 49 airs on PD-3 he is already identifying people who saw what happened, tells cars to stop people leaving and ask them what they saw. Elapsed time: 18:31
12:59:24 Cruiser 10 asks if anyone has begun to systematically clear the theaters, and to rip the screens down because of the voids behind the screens. Elapsed time: 20:47
1:00:17 Dispatch responds to Battalion 1 that PD has 10 in the back of the theater and another party, a child, inside theater 9 that they can’t evacuate. Elapsed time: 21:40
1:00:22 Lincoln 25 airs on PD-3 that he needs ambulances to the back, that he has a whole bunch of people down and sees one ambulance on scene. Dispatch responds that she has told them five times and will tell them again. Elapsed time: 21:45
1:00:29 Battalion 1 asks to activate the EM system, he needs to know exactly how many these hospitals can take. Elapsed time: 21:52
1:00:42 Dispatch airs asking for a patient count. Battalion 1 responds that he is trying to sort it out and uses an estimate of 20. Elapsed time: 22:05
1:01:36 201A airs that they can take more at South but they are freaking out so we need to take them to other hospitals. Elapsed time: 22:59
1:02:35 Metro 11 airs if he is needed on the east side, Metro 10 confirms the east side and states he has a bunch more shot. Elapsed time: 23:58
1:03:37 Truck 2 airs to Command they are in the rear of the theater they have nine shot if we can get any ambulances to stage on Sable, we can get them to the ambulances. Elapsed time: 25:00
1:03:58 Battalion 1 airs to stand by to let him get this sorted out and he will get with them, just hang on. Elapsed time: 25:21
1:04:27 Battalion 1 airs to dispatch if there is any other chief responding, dispatch responds negative, Battalion 1 asks for Chief 7. Elapsed time: 25:50
1:05:29 Dispatch airs to Century Command, Battalion 1 responds to avoid confusion, he will now be Aurora Mall Command. Dispatch tells him that the police lieutenant is requesting to meet him face to face in front of the theater and they are starting Chief 7. Elapsed time: 26:52
1:05:44 Cruiser 49 airs to dispatch on PD-3 that he assumes they are waking up everybody … dispatch answers in the affirmative. Elapsed time: 27:07
1:05:51 Cruiser 10 airs for officers, when they come to the back for transport, to stay in their cars so they can load patients and get out of there. Elapsed time: 27:14
1:06:02 Metro 10 airs for Arapahoe bomb squad ASAP. Elapsed time: 27:25
1:06:21 Truck 2 airs to Command that they are loading patients in the back of PD cars to get them transported, any ambulances they can get would be nice. Elapsed time: 27:44
1:06:52 Battalion 1 airs asking how many ambulances he has and they need to all go to staging they are jumping in and out and he is not sure where anybody is. Elapsed time: 28:15
1:07:07 Dispatch airs to Battalion 1 that she does not know an exact count on ambulances, that they just advised her they are sending two more Pridemark units emergent and that he has every ambulance available in the city. Elapsed time: 28:30
1:08:06 Battalion 1 airs to dispatch to make sure all of the ambulances return to the staging area at Exposition and Sable, drop off their patients but we need a count so we don’t overload University and South, he needs to know about the other area hospitals that are Level 1, and that no greens are to be transported at this time. Dispatch advises that Rural Metro has a supervisor. Elapsed time: 29:29
1:08:34 King 3 airs on PD-3 that he has parents showing up and asks if there is a list so he can direct them to the proper hospital. Dispatch replies there is no list. Elapsed time: 29:57
1:09:19 Engine 5 airs to Battalion 1 that they have transported seven patients, are on their eighth and police say there may be a number of people dead inside theater. Elapsed time: 30:42
1:09:42 Battalion 1 states if they are dead to leave them since we are in a mass casualty and to make sure they set up a transport officer that can contact the hospitals so they don’t overload one. Elapsed time: 31:05
1:10:15 Battalion 1 asks if there is anyone else in the area they can contact such as Cunningham or AMR. Elapsed time: 31:38
1:11:39 514 asks for a press location and what to do with family members, he already has some trying to get in. Elapsed time: 33:02
1:13:56 Battalion 1 airs to dispatch that he is trying to get there (to the PD) but right now he has police officers and everybody else coming up to him so to tell them to hang on. Elapsed time: 35:19
1:16:00 Metro 10 asks for undercover officers so he can send them to the suspect’s house. Elapsed time: 37:23
1:16:42 Truck 2 airs to Battalion 1 that the PD wants them out because of the perp’s car and they are checking for devices. Elapsed time: 38:05
1:16:58 Denver 670 airs on Blue SE to all Denver officers to clear the east side of the theater for a possible bomb. Elapsed time: 38:21
1:17 Cruiser 10 airs that SWAT has the interior secure and has masks so all officers without masks can clear the building. Elapsed time: 39:07
1:18:01 Metro 10 airs he is sending narcs to the suspect address to do surveillance, he has three officers finishing clearing the lot and he will need a lot of crime scene tape. Elapsed time: 39:24
1:18:14 Arapahoe confirms to dispatch on MetroNet that their bomb squad is en route and the ETA is 30 minutes. Elapsed time: 39:37
1:19:15 Dispatch airs to Lincoln 25 that they have witness who have left, are not injured but do have blood splatter on them. Elapsed time: 40:38
1:19:31 201A airs on TAC-11 for information only that he is out at District 2 with the suspect. Elapsed time: 40:54
1:21:10 Dispatch airs that there are no more victims to be transported by PD, rescue may have some but they do not need PD to transport. Elapsed time: 42:33
1:21:39 Dispatch airs to all agencies on MetroNet that we have enough officers on scene, that if their officers are not on scene, they can go available, and thanks them for their assistance. Elapsed time: 43:02
1:27:34 Dispatch airs to Battalion 1 that a PD lieutenant is again requesting a fire chief to the front of the theater. Elapsed time: 48:57
1:28:29 Edward 10 airs on Vice-2 that the address is North Paris Street and sends the undercover officers there. Elapsed time: 49:52
1:28:47 Edward 10 airs on Vice-2 that it is probably a high rise and that the suspect stated there are devices inside. Elapsed time: 50:10
1:30:29 Dispatch airs on PD-3 if anyone knows where the parents of victims should go. Elapsed time: 51:52
1:30:44 Chief 7 airs to Battalion 1 that he will be liaison and that he needs three to five paramedics to go in with police to survey the blacks (deceased) and possibly turn them into an extraction team right away. He needs them in front of the theater. Elapsed time: 52:07
1:36:10 Chief 7 on TAC 3 cancels entry into the theater because other fire personnel have swept and confirmed the patients black but is keeping the crew because of a possible device and Truck 2’s crew is inside waiting on ventilation. Elapsed time: 57:33
1:37:52 Battalion 1 contacts Dillard’s Command and checks status. Engine 4 relates they have checked the parking lot and have no patients. Elapsed time: 59:15
1:41:15 Battalion 1 airs to Truck 2 asking if all the patients in the theater are black. Truck 2 confirms all are black. Elapsed time: 1:02:38
