A woman who survived the Aurora theater shooting in 2012 died unexpectedly Sunday night.
Heather Snyder, 31, was among the 70 survivors of the horrific shooting on July 20, 2012, at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises at the Century 16 theater in Denver, Colorado.
The mother-of-one had to have her index and middle fingers amputated after gunman James Holmes sprayed bullets into the crowded movie theater, killing 12 people.
Heather Snyder (left), 31, was among the 70 survivors of the horrific Aurora theater shooting on July 20, 2012, at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises at the Century Aurora 16 theater in Colorado. Heather had to have surgery (right) following the shooting
‘We are still not sure what happened. It was totally unexpected,’ Heather’s father, Rick Snyder, said on Monday. Snyder said that Heather never ‘totally recovered from it’. Heather’s family are seen bringing her home from the hospital after her surgery
‘We are still not sure what happened. It was totally unexpected,’ Heather’s father, Rick Snyder, told the Denver Post on Monday.
‘She never totally recovered from it. She was reminded of it every day,’ her father said.
Heather was with 12 Red Robin employees who attended the movie to celebrate the 27th birthday of their co-worker, Alex Sullivan, on the night of the shooting.
She and six other members of the group were wounded and Alex tragically died.
James Holmes (pictured in 2015) opened fire at a Batman premiere in a Denver theater in 2012 that ended in the deaths of 12 people. He wounded 70 others
Despite Heather’s injuries, she carried on with her life and even had her daughter Kennedy.
In 2015, Heather testified in court against Holmes, who killed 12 people injured 70 others.
Holmes received 12 life sentences plus an addition 3,318 years in jail for killing the 12 movie-goers and attempting to murder more. He has no chance at parole.
Heather’s relatives said a memorial will be held on December 13 at the Aurora Eagle’s Lodge.
The family also set up a GoFundMe page that’s asking for help with her memorial and donations that will go toward taking care of her young daughter.
Family friend, Larry Martinez, told the Post that Heather was a loving, caring and courageous woman.
‘When you have a wonderful human being that is a support system for everyone that can light up your day, and they’re taken from you, it’s not easy. It’s very difficult,’ said Martinez.
Relatives have been told that it could take weeks until they learn the exact cause of Heather’s death.
Gunman, James Holmes was moved to a new facility in Pennsylvania in September after he was attacked by another inmate.
Heather (pictured) was with 12 Red Robin employees who attended the movie to celebrate the 27th birthday of their co-worker, Alex Sullivan, on the night of the shooting. Heather was injured but Alex tragically died
Heather’s relatives said a memorial will be held on December 13 at the Aurora Eagle’s Lodge. The family also set up a GoFundMe page that’s asking for help with her memorial and donations that will go toward taking care of her young daughter
Holmes gunned down 12 people to death inside The Century movie theater (pictured here) July 20, 2012 whilst wounding 70 others in a firing rampage inside the showing of Batman, The Dark Knight Rises
In July 2015, Holmes was found guilty on all 165 counts against him in the devastating 2012 attack on moviegoers at a midnight Batman premiere.
The tragic scene, which saw him use three murder weapons — a shotgun, a handgun and an AR-15 rifle, left 12 people dead and dozens of others wounded.
The youngest victim to die was a six-year-old girl – her mother also suffered a miscarriage and was paralyzed in the attack.
After the attack Holmes, who was obsessed with Batman, surrendered outside the theater and informed officers he had booby-trapped his apartment with explosives, which were defused one day later by a bomb squad.
At the time of his attack his attorneys said Holmes suffers from schizophrenia and was in the grip of a psychotic breakdown.
They claim his condition was so serious that he was unable to tell right from wrong.
In 2015, Heather (pictured center) testified in court against Holmes, who killed 12 people injured 70 others
Holmes (left in July 2012) received 12 life sentences plus an addition 3,318 years in jail for killing the 12 movie-goers and attempting to murder more. Holmes (right in September 2012) has no chance at parole
Holmes used three murder weapons: a shotgun, handgun and an AR-15 rifle. The youngest victim to die was a six-year-old girl – her mother also suffered a miscarriage and was paralyzed in the attack. A makeshift memorial was set up for the victims on following the shooting
They argue he was so delusional that he managed to cover up his plans from friends and two psychiatrists months prior to the shooting.
In 2015, Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr told the Colorado gunman he would not be eligible for parole, adding: ‘It is almost impossible to comprehend how a human being is capable of such acts.’
After imposing the sentence, he added: ‘It is the court’s intention that the defendant never set foot in free society again.
‘If there was ever a case that warranted a maximum sentence, this is the case. The defendant does not deserve any sympathy.
‘Sheriff, get the defendant out of my courtroom please.’
Holmes was facing the death penalty when he was sentenced September 2015, but a lone juror held out, meaning he was given a prison term instead.