Columbine survivor-turned-pastor offers counsel after the Aurora shooting

(CBS News) While the investigation into the Friday shooting that left 12 dead and dozens injured continues, the city of Aurora, Colo. tries to make sense of the senseless, much as the nearby city of Littleton did 13 years ago after the massacre at Columbine High School.

The dead from the most recent rampage include 6-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan, the youngest victim. Her mother was shot in the throat and chest and remains in critical condition. 

An aunt struggled in church this morning as a pastor talked of the shooting.

Also among the dead was 18-year-old A.J. Boik. At his high school Saturday night some who gathered were overwhelmed by his death.

Longtime friend Jordan Crofter was at the movie with A.J. "It just sucks that he's gone," Crofter said. "Out of anybody in that movie theatre, he is the last one to deserve something like this."

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With 6 victims still in critical condition, Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan has seen many of them and warns that the death toll may rise.

"It is possible we might see more casualties," Hogan said.

Josh Weidmann was a high school junior during the Columbine shooting, and it offered him lessons he is drawing on today as a pastor at Aurora's Elevation Church

"The main way I help people deal with the anger is telling them you have to live through that anger but you just cant stay there," Wiedmann said.

Late yesterday, authorities detonated explosives found at suspect James Holmes' apartment.

In an exclusive interview today on "Face the Nation", Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates quashed rumors of an accomplice.

"All evidence we have, every single indicator is that it was all Mr. Holmes' activity and that he wasn't particularly aided by anyone else," Oates said.

When police surrounded the theater, alert officers spotted Holmes wearing a non-regulation gas mask and realized he was not a member of the SWAT Team. That led to his arrest.

"So, kudos to my two cops that grabbed this guy and that sharp observation that they made immediately that led them to suspect him as being the suspect," Oates said.

The court procedure begins tomorrow, when Holmes will appear in county court and a judge is expected to tell him that he is under investigation for 12 murders. Formal charges could come later this week.

[murrowseye]

There was too little on the pastor, considering the title of the story.

[RealiteBites]

I avoided coverage of this terrible tragedy to avoid getting emotionally affected, and I think that's been the best thing.

It's just such an awful event - I don't know if it's the healthiest thing to dwell too much on the details.

Like if there were a chance that something might come out if this, like a change in gun control, maybe it'd be different? But nothing ever changes ...