Christian Bale visits 'Dark Knight Rises' theater-shooting victims

By Matt Donnelly

July 24, 2012 12 AM PT

Christian Bale has surfaced in Colorado to visit victims of last week’s deadly shooting at a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Bale, who is filming Terrence Malick’s film “Knight of Cups” in Los Angeles, turned up Tuesday at the Medical Center of Aurora, visiting and chatting with survivors as well as posing for photos.

“The patients were really happy to meet Bale,” the hospital’s interim president, Bill Voloch, told the Denver Post. “They are obviously big fans of his movies. They wanted to see Batman and were really pleased to see Bale.”

The actor and his wife, Sibi Blazic, enjoyed bedside conversation with patients including Carey Rottman, shown above, as well as interactions with medical staff and first responders.

WHO THEY WERE: Aurora movie-theater victims

The visit comes on the heels of a days-old Facebook campaign for Bale to rally and visit the town plagued by tragedy, after 24-year-old suspect James Holmes is said to have opened fire in a movie theater at a midnight showing, killing 12 and injuring dozens.

Over the weekend, Bale released a statement on the tragedy, saying, “I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.”

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