Mequon native hurt and Cascade teen a witness in Colorado shooting

MEQUON -- Mequon native Carey Rottman survived one of the most horrific mass shootings in the United States after being shot in the leg. Rottman was one of many who turned out to see a midnight showing of Dark Night Rises at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado early Friday, July 20th.

Rottman called his father Dale Rottman, a Thiensville dentist, to tell him he'd been shot in the leg.

The Rottman family hopped on the first flight from Milwaukee to Denver to be with their son.  Dale Rottman talked with FOX6 News on his cell phone from Colorado. 

He described what his son told him.

"They heard the shots -- it sounded like firecrackers.  He didn't realize what it was at first. Then, they ducked down behind seats in front of them. He got hit in the leg," Rottman said.

Carey ran out of the theater, where his dad says he was helped by several teens he didn't even know. 

"Four kids were there, teenage kids, and they helped him and carried him over to the lawn. One of the kids put a belt on his leg -- a tourniquet. Another flagged down a policeman and they took him right away to the hospital, didn't wait for an ambulance or anything," Rottman said.

Comments poured onto Casey Rottman's Facebook page after he posted about the incident on his personal page hours after calling his parents. Dr. Rottman said his son had surgery Friday morning, but should be okay.

Another local connection to the shooting is 15-year-old Katie Trakel, of Cascade. Trakel was in the area for a convention with her family. The shooting happened in Theater 9 and Katie was next door in Theater 8 with a group of her friends. She told FOX6 News over the phone, at first they heard the shots but thought it was part of the movie until they noticed a friend in their group had been shot.  A bullet had gone through the wall and hit her friend in the arm.

Katie said it wasn't until they were outside the theater and saw other victims that they truly realized something that serious had happened.

"When we saw blood, injuries, we realized Gage (her friend) was shot and police were coming. We were like 'oh my god, there was seriously a shooting,'" Katie said.

Katie said she is shaken up, but was not injured. She says her friend is expected to recover.

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