83 Forced From Home As Bomb Squad Worked Suspect's Apartment
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - As the bomb squad worked to secure James Holmes' apartment, the Red Cross provided shelter for 83 people, including 43 children who were forced to leave their homes.
Most of the evacuated residents were allowed to return home Saturday evening.
James Holmes is the suspect in the shooting spree that left 12 people dead and dozens more injured at an Aurora movie theater early Friday.
"It's scary. You never know who your neighbor is these days," Aurora Ugalde said.
Ugalde was one of the residents who was forced to evacuate and had to stay at the shelter at Aurora Central High School. She and Debbie Valdivia remained on Paris Street Friday night, but left Saturday morning.
"The SWAT team, they went inside our house and I was like scared," Valdivia said. "They said, 'You guys need to evacuate.' "
"We were supposed to evacuate since yesterday, but we didn't leave until they cut off our lights," another evacuee said. "We don't have nowhere to go so we are here. That's our home right there, hopefully they return it back and it's not on fire."
The Red Cross said it was doing everything it could to help.
"This is a real tough and traumatic time for people, and so part of the role of the Red Cross is just being there for the community, letting them know they have a safe place to go they'll have food and they'll have emotional support," Patricia Billinger with the Red Cross said.
All evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes with the exception of those who live in Holmes' building. That building will remain secure for the purpose of preserving evidence.
The only remaining street closure is in the 1600 block of Paris Street.
The Red Cross says it will keep its shelter open as long as it is needed.
