Marcus Theatres Requests No Masks, Costumes after 'Batman' Shooting

Leave your masks and costumes at home when you go to see the new Batman this weekend. Officials at Marcus Theatres, located at 6144 Grand Avenue in the Gurnee Mills Mall, request that movie-goers do not wear costumes, or masks following a shooting spree in Colorado at a midnight showing of Batman: The Dark Knight Rises.

"All we can tell you is that we're requesting the costumes are kept to a minimum," said Carlo Petrick, communications manager with Marcus Theatres.

Early Friday, a gunman at a theater in Aurora, Colorado, reportedly wore a gas mask and a bulletproof vest and opened fire, wounding 59 people and killing 12, according to The Coloradoan. Authorities identified the gunman as 24-year-old James Holmes, according to CBS News.

Witneses and victims told CBS News that Holmes stood by the emergency exit and started shooting about 20 minutes into the movie.

Marcus Theatres posted this statement on its Facebook page that the company is taking appropriate measures to have security precautions in place today and every day:

We are saddened by the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, this morning.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, the associates at the Century Theater and the Aurora, CO community.

These senseless, random acts of violence, by disturbed individuals, can happen anywhere, but had never occurred in a U.S. movie theatre in its 110-year history. Safety and security of our guests and associates is always a priority concern. We will take appropriate measures to have our security precautions in place today and every day.

All showings of “Dark Knight Rises” and all other motion pictures at all Marcus Theatres will go on as scheduled.

According to ABC News, which called the shooting "The Batman Massacre," Holmes was seen at the theater wearing "a ballistics helmet, bullet-proof vest, bullet-proof leggings, gas mask and gloves," -- attire that might not have seemed immediately out of place for a movie that attracts costume-going and masked fans. The movie's villain, Bane, wears a gas mask (as seen in the publicity photo attached to this story).