James E Holmes during his appearance at Arapahoe County District Court.—Reuters Photo
James E Holmes during his appearance at Arapahoe County District Court.—Reuters File Photo

Accused Colorado gunman James Holmes, charged with killing 12 people in a movie theater rampage last month, saw at least three mental health professionals at the University of Colorado before the shooting, a CBS News affiliate reported on Tuesday.

Holmes is accused of opening fire in a midnight screening of the new Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises” in a Denver suburb, killing 12 people and wounding 58 others. His attorney has said in court that Holmes suffers from an unspecified mental illness and had tried to get help.

Court papers filed by defense attorneys in July said Holmes had been a patient of the medical director for student mental health services on campus, Dr. Lynne Fenton, before he filed paperwork to drop out of a competitive neuroscience graduate program.

But local CBS affiliate KCNC-TV, citing unnamed sources, reported that he had seen at least three mental health professionals associated with the university but did not name them. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

How long Holmes met with the additional professionals and the extent to which they were involved in his mental health treatment was not clear, KCNC-TV reported.

University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery declined to comment on whether Holmes had seen three mental health professionals on campus, citing a court-issued gag order.

She did confirm that the university had obtained an attorney in addition to the two hired for Fenton. That attorney, Cathy Greer of Denver law firm Wells Anderson & Race, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As in many states, mental health care providers in Colorado must warn authorities of potential violent behavior only when a patient has communicated a serious threat of imminent physical violence against a specific target.

Previous media reports had said that Fenton reported Holmes to a campus threat assessment team and a campus police officer over concerns about her patient.

Holmes is being held without bond and in solitary confinement at the Arapahoe County jail. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether they will seek the death penalty.

Opinion

Editorial

Energy shock
Updated 05 May, 2026

Energy shock

The longer the crisis persists, the more profound its consequences will be.
Unchecked HIV
05 May, 2026

Unchecked HIV

PAKISTAN’S HIV surge is no longer a slow-burning public health concern. It is now a system failure unfolding in...
PSL thrills
05 May, 2026

PSL thrills

BY the end of it all, in front of fans who had been absent for almost the entire 11th season of the Pakistan Super...
Interlinked crises
Updated 04 May, 2026

Interlinked crises

The situation vis-à-vis the US-Israeli war on Iran remains tense, with hostilities likely to resume if the diplomatic process fails.
Climate readiness
04 May, 2026

Climate readiness

AS policymakers gather for the Breathe Pakistan conference this week, the urgency is hard to miss. Each year, such...
Kalash preservation
04 May, 2026

Kalash preservation

FOR centuries, the Kalash people have maintained a culture, way of life, language and belief system that is uniquely...