James Holmes Identified as Suspect in 'Dark Knight' Shooting

James Holmes. (Photo: Colorado University)

Authorities have identified 24-year-old James Holmes as the man who opened fire inside a Colorado movie theater during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises.

Sources say Holmes is a former University of Colorado School of Medicine student who dropped out last month. , He graduated from the University of California, Riverside, in 2010 with a degree in neuroscience.

His apartment on Paris Street is being searched by SWAT team members.

Holmes was taken into custody in the parking lot outside the Century 16 movie theater after the shooting rampage early Friday morning, that killed 12 people and wounded 38 others.

He allegedly entered the theater through an emergency door 20 minutes into the movie, set off a tear gas bomb and opened fire.

Witnesses described the shooter methodically picking off his victims, stopping only to reload.

Holmes mother who lives in San Diego spoke briefly with ABC News this morning.

"You have the right person," she said. "I need to call the police. I need to fly out to Colorado."

In the wake of this tragedy, Warner Bros. has canceled the film's French premiere in Paris tonight.