UPDATE: U.S. Navy Sailor Dies, Another Injured in Colorado Shooting
Petty Officer Third Class John Larimer was among those killed in Friday morning's shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, CO.
UPDATE: (Saturday 12:10 p.m.) Petty Officer Third Class John Larimer, 27, died from injuries sustained in the Friday morning shooting at a theater in Aurora, CO, according to the Navy News Service.
"I am incredibly saddened by the loss of Petty Officer John Larimer--he was an outstanding shipmate," Cmdr. Jeffrey Jakuboski, Larimer's commanding officer told Navy News. "A valued member of our Navy team, he will be missed by all who knew him. My heart goes out to John's family, friends and loved ones, as well as to all victims of this horrible tragedy."
Larimer joined the Navy in June 2011 where he was a cryptologic technician third class. He had been stationed in Aurora since October 2011.
Larimer was not a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. He was a native of Crystal Lake, IL. Crystal Lake-Cary Patch reported that his family was notified by the Navy of his death at about midnight Friday.
Another unidentified sailor was injured in the shooting that has left 12 dead and 58 injured, according to KRDO News in Denver.
A Navy spokesman told Patch early Friday afternoon that, "There was one sailor currently that we know of that was injured, treated and released."
Two Air Force reservists were also injured in the shooting.
Marine Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman, told The Huffington Post that suspect James Holmes, 24, is not believed to be a member of the military at this time.
For more information about Larimer, you can read an article on his hometown Patch, the Crystal Lake-Cary Patch.
Karen Essen
2:43 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
If he was a "sailor", then he obviously wouldn't be a Naval Academy grad! As anyone writing for an Annapolis area newsletter should know. This is sub-high school quality "journalism"...
Chris S.
1:16 pm on Saturday, July 21, 2012
12 dead and 58 injured and your focus is on how the author uses the term sailor. Good to see you have your priorities straight.
river_runner
5:15 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Naval officers are Sailors also.
Sandy
12:34 am on Saturday, July 21, 2012
Karen- I know there is not universal issue agreement on this issue. But the head of the Navy Training command decreed in 2005 that all uniformed Navy personnel may be called sailors. I personally know many officers who are proud to call themselves sailors.
Anna is using the term "sailor" here to encompass any person in the Navy. She doesn't know yet if they are officers or not. What term should she have used?
Anyway, I think we can agree that all of us here in the Annapolis area pray for the health of anyone in the Navy, regardless of rank or title.