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The suspected gunman in the Colorado theater massacre headed to his first court appearance on Monday, but authorities said he refuses to talk, and it could take months to learn what prompted one of the worst mass shootings in US history.

James Holmes, 24, has been held in solitary confinement awaiting his hearing, where the charges of suspicion of first-degree murder will be read against him. Friday's shootings left 12 dead and 58 wounded, some critically.

"He's not talking to us," Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said.

Police have said Holmes began buying guns at Denver-area stores nearly two months before the shooting and that he received at least 50 packages in four months at his home and at school. He recently purchased 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet, the chief said.

During the attack, Holmes allegedly set off gas canisters and used a semiautomatic rifle, a shotgun and a pistol to open fire, Oates said.

The semi automatic assault rifle jammed during the attack, forcing the gunman to switch to another gun with less firepower, a federal law enforcement official told The Associated Press. That malfunction and weapons switch might have saved some lives.

The owner of a gun range said Holmes applied to join the club last month but never became a member because of his behavior and a "bizarre" message on his voice mail.

When Lead Valley Range owner Glenn Rotkovich called to invite Holmes to a mandatory orientation the following week, he said he heard a message on Holmes' voice mail that was "guttural, freakish at best".

He eventually told his staff to watch out for Holmes at the July 1 orientation and not to accept him into the club, Rotkovich said.

Officials at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus were looking into whether Holmes, a former doctoral student in neuroscience, used his position in a graduate program to collect hazardous materials.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.