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Parents say shooting won't make them keep kids away from Batman movie

Will the tragic shooting at a Colorado movie theater prompt parents to keep kids away from the new Batman movie?Most parents on the TODAY Moms Facebook page say no -- the scary news may cause them to hug their children a little more tightly tonight, but they won't keep their kids home from the movies."Are we so unreasonable as to blame the movie now?" Sarah Gullion asked. "Yes, my superhero-obse

Will the tragic shooting at a Colorado movie theater prompt parents to keep kids away from the new Batman movie?

Most parents on the TODAY Moms Facebook page say no -- the scary news may cause them to hug their children a little more tightly tonight, but they won't keep their kids home from the movies.

"Are we so unreasonable as to blame the movie now?" Sarah Gullion asked. "Yes, my superhero-obsessed little girl will still be going to see a movie she has anticipated for months and months."

A gunman opened fire at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo., killing at least 12 people (as of Friday morning) and injuring dozens more. Police in New York, Washington, D.C. and other cities have announced plans to step up patrols at movie theaters showing the new Batman movie, which has been one of the summer's most highly anticipated movies.

Laurie Schultz wondered what message skipping the movie would send to kids. "You can't live your life fearing death," she wrote. "That's not living."

Danielle Fansler, a mom of five, said she would let her kids go to the movies, but will tell them what to do if gunfire breaks out. "I will tell my kids the same thing I normally do in this situation: Use common sense when it comes to these things and if faced with this situation hide and run as soon and as fast as you can in a zig-zag pattern as it is harder to shoot a moving, darting object."

Another TODAY Moms community member, Courtnie Webb, replied, "Oh Danielle, my heart just broke when you described how you would tell your kids how to escape a shooter. We didn't have to worry about these things when we were kids. I guess I'm going to have to start discussing things like this with my son in a couple of years too."

Other parents admitted that they'll think twice about letting kids see "The Dark Knight Rises," even though they know the chances of violence happening elsewhere are very slim.

"I let my 11-year-old son and 12-year-old niece see Spider-Man by themselves (I was in the mall the movies are located in) a week ago and I doubt I'll ever do it again," Kristin Miller wrote. "I know we shouldn't let the actions of a sick individual alter our lives but I would feel uneasy doing this anymore."

Others said they wouldn't let their children go to a midnight showing -- not because of fears of violence, but because they just didn't think it was appropriate for their age.

Writes Kim Olcean Sacramone: "I think the question should be would you let your 'young' child go to a midnight showing; it really does not matter what movie it was."

Related story:

How to talk to children about school shootings