Police Show Force After Colorado Shooting

Mount Pleasant Police will step up their presence this weekend at the town's two movie theaters following Thursday's gun violence that left 12 dead and scores injured at a Colorado movie theater.

"Mount Pleasant Police Department always has officers assigned to the Towne Centre area where Palmetto Grande is located as well as officers assigned specifically to the theater itself," said Capt. Amy McCarthy, a police spokeswoman.

"In addition to this normal coverage, our patrol officers will be heavily saturating the areas where our theaters are located."

Police across the country are concerned about individuals who may attempt similar violence at other Batman screenings.

There are nearly 30 separate showings of the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," scheduled for and on Friday night alone. Mount Pleasant will continue the stepped-up presence through the weekend.

New York Police announced early this morning that officers would blanket theaters to prevent any copycat incidents. Authorities across South Carolina said they would be on alert, but already many theaters employ off-duty officers for routine security.

"With regard to staffing local movie theaters, Sheriff’s Office employees are currently privately employed as a means of secondary employment by local theaters in accordance with Sheriff’s Office policies," , a spokesperson for the Greenville County Sheriff's Office.

Campbell the decision to heighten security after a shooting, such as the one in Colorado Thursday night, would be at the discretion of local theaters.

Police arrested the 24-year-old gunman at the scene, according to reports. He apparently used tear gas to confuse the packed suburban Denver movie theatre before opening fire.

The man was dressed head-to-toe in black and wore a gas mask, CNN reports. Agents encountered a booby trap at the man's apartment.

The shooting prompted President Obama to alter his planned slate of campaign stops in Florida today.

"We're going to stand by our neighbors in Colorado during this extraordinarily difficult time," he told the crowd. "Such violence, such evil is senseless; it's beyond reason."

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley issued a statement of condolence in the wake of the shooting.

"Michael and I are saddened that this could happen in our country and our hearts go out to the people in Aurora," Haley said. "It reminds us that we have to be careful wherever we are because life is not what it used to be."