Colorado Shooting Victims Are Identified

Officials said 58 other people were also injured in the rampage. On Saturday night, 26 remained hospitalized, nine in critical condition, MSNBC reported.
Victims in the massacre ranged in ages from a six-year-old to a 51-year-old.
Neon Tommy has compiled a profile of the victims of the shooting, based on reports from the Los Angeles Times, Yahoo News, the Town Talk, a Gazette Newspaper and MSNBC.
Veronica Moser-Sullivan
Reportedly the youngest victim in the shooting, Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6, was getting ready to attend nursing school, The Town Talk reported. Annie Dalton, a family member, told the Town Talk that Veronica was "a vibrant 6-year-old."
"She was excited, she'd just learned how to swim. She was a great little girl, excited about life -- she should be at 6 years old," Dalton said.
Her mother, Ashley Moser, who is in critical condition with bullets in her throat and abdomen, does not yet know about her daughter, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Nobody can tell her about it," Dalton said, reported by Yahoo! News. "She is in critical condition, but all she's asking about is her daughter."
Matthew McQuinn
Matthew McQuinn, 27, a graduate of Butler-Vandalia High School, attended the showing with his longtime girlfriend Samantha Yowler and her brother. He died after jumping in front of them to shield them from the gunfire, MSNBC reported.
McQuinn moved to Colorado from Ohio with his girlfriend last fall. They met at a Target store and had applied for transfers to a store in Aurora, according to the Town Talk.
Yowler was listed in stable condition after surgery, Saturday the Los Angeles Times reported.
Gordon Cowden
The oldest victim to be identified in the massacre, Cowden, 51, was a father of four children, MSNBC reported.
Cowden he had gone to the midnight movie premiere with his two teenage children according to Yahoo! News. The article added that Cowden, who was from Texas, was described by his family as a "true Texas gentleman." He loved the outdoors and owned his own business.
"A quick witted world traveler with a keen sense of humor, he will be remembered for his devotion to his children and for always trying his best to do the right thing, no matter the obstacle," his family said, as reported by MSNBC.
His teenage children escaped the shooting unharmed.
Jessica N. Ghawi
Jessica Ghawi, 24, who went by Jessica Redfield professionally, moved to Denver to pursue a career as a sports journalist. Ghawi worked as an intern at Denver sports radio station 104.3 The Fan, and with the You Can Play Project, a gay-rights group that supports equality in the locker room the Los Angeles Times reported.
On her blog, Ghawi described herself as "Not your typical sarcastic feisty redhead," adding that she was, "attempting to perfect the trifecta of class, sass, and crass."
Her friend Mike Lavender told MSNBC that Ghawi had been trying to get more athletic equipment for people whose homes had been destroyed by the fires in Colorado.
“She had asked everybody to donate sports equipment for people because she knows how sports brings such joy,” Lavender said.
An avid Twitter user, in her honor the hashtag #ripjessica has been trending throughout the weekend with tweets honoring her life and the lives of those taken by the shooter.
Micayla C. Medek
A graduate of William C. Hinkley High School in Aurora, Micayla Medek, 23, attended Aurora Community College the Los Angeles Times reported.
On Facebook, she described herself as a, “simple independent girl who's just trying to get her life together while still having fun.”
A huge Green Baay Packer’s fan according to her aunt, she was also described by her older sister, Amanda Medek, as easygoing and gentle according to Yahoo! News. “She was the most loving person. You couldn’t hate this girl. She was amazing in every way,” Medek said.
Medek, who worked at Subway, was saving money to travel to India, where some of her co-workers at Subway originated from, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Alex Sullivan
Alex Sullivan, 27, a graduate of Grandview High School in 2003 who studied culinary arts went to see the film with friends to help celebrating his 27th birthday, The Town Talk reported.
Friends said Sullivan shielded those around him from the bullets, he Los Angeles Times reported.
"He was on the end and he stood up to cover the girls," said Shelly Fradkin, whose son grew up with and was best friends with Sullivan. She said his love for Batman and other stars shaped his character. “His heart was ready to be that real life superhero.”
"He was a very, very good young man," said Sullivan's uncle, Joe Loewenguth, as reported by the Town Talk. "He always had a smile, always made you laugh. He had a little bit of comic in him. Witty, smart. He was loving, had a big heart."
Sullivan was a newlywed and would have celebrated his first wedding anniversary on Sunday, the Town Talk added.
John Larimer
Petty Officer Third Class John Larimer, 27, attended the screening with another sailor, who was injured in the attack. Larimer who had been with the U.S. Navy for over one year worked as a navy cryptologist. He had been stationed at Aurora’s Buckley Air Force Base since October, MSNBC reported.
"I am incredibly saddened by the loss of Petty Officer John Larimer--he was an outstanding shipmate,” Larimer’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Jeffrey Jakuboski, said in a statement. “A valued member of our Navy team, he will be missed by all who knew him. My heart goes out to John's family, friends and loved ones, as well as to all victims of this horrible tragedy,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
Larimer was the youngest of five siblings. Neighbors in his hometown recalled his sense of humor, Yahoo! News reported.
"We love you, John, and we will miss you always," his parents said in a statement reported by Yahoo! News.
Jesse Childress
An Air Force reserves cyber systems operator, Jesse Childress, 29, was injured in the shooting and died of his injuries at the hospital on Friday, MSNBC reported.
Air Force Capt. Andrew Williams described Childress as knowledgeable, experienced and respectful, the Town Talk reported.
Tech Sgt. Alejandro Sanchez, a co-worker, told the AP that Childress was his good friend and they were on a bowling team together. Yahoo! News
"He would help anyone and always was great for our Air Force unit," he said.
Alexander J. Boik
Alexander “A.J.” Boik, 18, graduated from Gateway High School in Aurora and had plans to attend Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Boik's friend, Tre Freeman, described Boik as a free spirit, who even once decided to grow a handlebar mustache, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A vigil was held Saturday night for Alexander J. Boik of Aurora, The Town Talk reported.
Boik planned to be an art teacher and open his own studio. He attended the movie with his girlfriend, who survived the attack, his family said, as reported by MSNBC.
"We want to try and focus on the beautiful lives that were ended and not the evil that is responsible," the family said in a statement.
Jonathan Blunk
A military veteran, Jonathan Blunk, 26, attended the showing with his friend Jansen Young and when the shooting starte, he pushed her to the theater floor, Young told the Los Angeles Times.
“It was just what he wanted to do, and he loved it,” Young said. “He saved me, and he gave me the opportunity to live – he would have done it for anybody that day.”
Blunk graduated from Reno’s Procter Hug High School in 2004 and enlisted in the Navy, serving out of San Diego aboard the USS Nimitz, MSNBC reported.
Blunk, who moved to Colorado and worked in a hardware store, planned to re-enlist in the Navy with the goal of becoming a Navy SEAL, Yahoo! News reported.
Blunk leaves behind two young children, a girl, 4, and a boy, 2, Yahoo! News reported.
Rebecca Ann Wingo
A mother of two daughters, Rebecca Ann Wingo, 32, worked at a medical company in Aurora and was a student at the Community College of Aurora, the Denver Post reported.
Wingo who was born in Quinlan, Texas, spent 11 years working for the United States Air Force, according to her Facebook page the Los Angeles Times reported.
Shannon Dominguez, who worked with Wingo, said she was friendly with everyone and always seemed to be in a good mood, The Town Talk reported.
"I didn't really know her well but she had a really bubbly personality," Dominguez said. "She was a pretty happy person. She just never really seemed ... like with work, she never got irritated. She was pretty happy to be here."
Alexander C. Teves
Alexander Teves, 24, recently earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology at the University of Denver, the Los Angeles Times reported.
His grandfather, Carlo Iacovelli told Yahoo! News that Teves was easy to love and was planning to become a psychiatrist.
"He was a lovable person who made friends quickly and had a lot of them," Iacovelli said. "He had a lot to look forward to."
Remembering the victims
Many different memorial groups have been created in honor of the shooting victims. Here are a couple of groups on Facebook that have been started to help commemorate the lives lost from the shooting.
- Help the Colorado movie theater shooting victims!
- RIP Colorado Shooting Victims 7/20/12
- Prayers for Aurora,Colorado shooting victims and families
See more of NT's coverage on the Colorado shootings here.
Reach Executive Producer Jackie Mansky here.



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