Cinemark USA Inc. is being sued in federal court in Denver on behalf of three victims of the deadly July 20 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo.

Two separate lawsuits allege that Plano, Texas-based Cinemark, the nation’s third-largest theater circuit, negligently failed to provide adequate security to prevent the shooting by suspect James Holmes at the Century Aurora 16, in which 12 people were killed and 58 injured.

PHOTOS: Colorado movie theater shooting

Among other allegations, the suit says the theater failed to provide security personnel for the midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” the exterior doors to the theater did not have any alarm or security system that would have alerted the staff that “someone had surreptitiously left the theater"or that the door in the back of theater was being kept open.


The suit also states that there was no system in place for the theater staff to monitor parking areas and external doors behind the theater.

The multiplex also been the site of previous incidents, including a shooting involving gang members.

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“Any person who wished to make a surreptitious and unauthorized entry into the theater could easily determine that the lack of security personnel and lack of any alarm on the door at the right ... would allow them to leave the theater, and re-enter without fear of being discovered, interfered with, monitored or stopped,” according to the suit.


The action was filed by two victims of the shooting, Denise Traynom and Brandon Axelrod, who suffered non-critical gunshot wounds to the buttocks and right knee and ankle, respectively. They are seeking unspecified damages for their injuries.

A second lawsuit containing similar allegations was filed Friday by another victim, Joshua Nowlan, who was shot in his right arm and left leg.

Cinemark representatives could not be reached for comment.

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