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Shocking: Reports Indicate Suspect of 'Dark Knight' Shootings Was a Camp Counselor

"He killed kids the same age he once cared for"

Bill Dedman, an investigative reporter for msnbc.com, is reporting that the suspect in the horrifying shooting in Aurora, Colorado was a camp counselor in the summer of 2008 for underprivileged children in Glendale, California.

NBC News has more information:

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles confirmed that [James] Holmes was a cabin counselor, responsible for 10 children at its Camp Max Straus for children ages 7 to 14 from Los Angeles. Holmes was then a 20-year-old student at the University of California, Riverside, and neighbors have said he was active in the Presbyterian church that the family attended. The camp is nonsectarian.

A statement from the group said, "His role was to [ensure] that these children had a wonderful camp experience by helping them learn confidence, self esteem and how to work in small teams to effect positive outcomes. These skills are learned through activities such as archery, horseback riding, swimming, art, sports and high ropes course."

A fellow counselor told NBC News that Holmes seemed shy.

"The entire staff was really close, considering we lived together, except for James," said the counselor, who asked that she not be named. "He really kept to himself and hardly ever went on any trips with the rest of the staff. He was very shy and reserved."

According to NBC, photos of the staff show Holmes goofing around with other counselors.

NBC continues:

"It is sickening," the fellow counselor said, "knowing that he killed kids the same age that he once cared for." The youngest of those who died in Friday morning's shooting is Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6. Holmes, who has not been charged with a crime, is scheduled to have his first court appearance on Monday and is expected to face 12 counts of homicide and many counts of attempted homicide.

The CEO of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles, Randy Schwab, told NBC4 Los Angeles that Holmes had no disciplinary problems. "It is with shock and sorrow that we learned of the incident in Aurora," Schwab said. "Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families and friends of those involved in this horrible tragedy." [Emphasis added]

This post will be updated.

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