Black Teen Rescued Woman and Kids During ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Shooting After Boyfriend Abandoned Them
A Colorado teen helped save the lives of a woman and her kids, even though it resulted in him being shot.
The woman -who had been attending the screening of “Dark Knight Rises” with her boyfriend, young child, and 4 month old infant – found herself abandoned when the shooting began. Her boyfriend dropped their 7 month old on the floor, jumped from the balcony, and drove himself home.
Luckily, Jarell Brooks, 19, came to the woman’s aid.
While trying to escape the gunfire, Brooks says he saw a woman, later identified as Patricia Legarreta, struggling to get herself and her two children out. He said he crawled on top of Legarreta in an attempt to push her and the kids out the door but then couldn’t get out himself.
“At the end of the aisle, I ran into a woman. She yelled, ‘My kids!’ and I saw she had two young kids with her,” he told ABC News. “I made sure they got in the aisle and pushed behind her to make sure she got out of there.”
That’s when both Brooks and Legarreta were shot.
“We fell together,” Brooks said. “I picked myself back up and continued to the back exit door, on one leg.”
“I was thinking, I have to get this family out, without getting hit myself. I managed to do one,” Brooks told ABC News.
Following is the ABC story which details the young teen’s bravery, which was exceptionally heroic considering the cowardice of the woman’s boyfriend.
Here is a CNN story where the boyfriend attempts to explain why he abandoned his family in the theatre:
A scholarship fund has been created for Jarell to honor him for his heroism. You can contribute to the fund by clicking here.
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Thanks for thinking of them. Thanks for being a real Christian and placing them first. I am sure the angels in Heaven is yet rejoicing. I am. God bless you young man.
Xtianity did not have anything to do with him doing the right thing. This young man was raised to help his fellow man. Again, xtianity did not have anything to do with it.
People have been helping their fellow man thousands of years before xtianity.
If Mr. Brooks is a CHRISTian, then his heroism had EVERYTHING to do with him being a CHRISTian and vice versa.
Yeah because. God was there before Christianity-He gave us the notion of what is right and what is wrong…
Christ was with and is God from the beginning. Even so, Christianity and Mr. Brooks both exist today, which is a self-explanatory implication if Mr. Brooks is indeed a Christian. Whether he is or not, Mr. Brook performed a heroic act, and Christians will still applaud him as well as give the Lord Godhead the ultimate credit and glory. Maybe you and I should find another forum if we plan to further engage in this Christianity debate.
Great comments but I hope those of you who posted also put your money where your mouth is and supported Jarell’s scholarship fund.
If Zimmerman can raise $200,000 there is absolutely no reason or excuse why Jarell Brooks should not raise at least five times that amount. So often on this forum we have debates about religion, politics, gay marriage etc. I think we can all agree this young man should be rewarded, And for all those who talk so much smack of how the church doesn’t do this, the mosque doesn’t do that, or black people are lazy, put YOUR feet to the fire and cough up some cash. I Did.
Fantastic this guy is a black gurdian angel. Her man is obvious a true coward leave his a*s and date the black guy! As them always say: “Once you go Black you will never go back” especially in this situation. What a loser boyfriend! Punk
This woman should not marry her boyfriend, they have to many issues to work out. As for the African-American young man who saved her, he does not need to turn this into any type of romance. He is young and intelligent and I hope he takes the scholarship money and invest in an education at a great school. He is here for a purpose…part of God’s wonderful plan…a true angel.
Mr. Dixon,
I thought your posting was great until you made that ignorant statement. ” As them always says?” WTH? That same statement can and has been taken as, once you go black you don’t ever want to go back there again because it’s (fill in the blanks). This is one of those racial comments that needs to go buh bye……
Did she imply she accepted his proposal? He left her and the kids in danger and drove home, then some stranger saves you and your kids life, and he is a great catch. Lets hope she doesn’t encounter another life crisis.
Fantastic hero, this guy is a black gurdian angel. Her man is obvious a true coward leave his a*s and date the black guy! As them always say: “Once you go Black you will never go back” especially in this situation. What a loser boyfriend! Punk
Brooks for President 2020!
This man (the boyfriend) showed his true colors. I would leave him just as he left her and the babies. I would be too disgusted to even be in the same room as him let alone marry this punk.
He should have been willing to sacrifice himself if he were a true man like the African American teen. The fact that this was not the teen’s family and he risked his life shows the quality of his character!
WOW he said nothing to justify why he left his family and she’s going to marry him…. Stupid!
I am so proud of you Jarell. it goes to show that we have so any great young men in this country. This is why we cannot allow the media to have us not believing in our youth. The good ones are still out there. The problem is we stopped talking about them, because of the big problem with the bad one. We have to talk about the bad but we had better star talking about the good ones as well. If not, I fear they will feel that the only way to get attention is to be a bad a$$. You are a true Brave Heart Jarell. If I were five years younger and single, I would make you my sweet heart.
What a guy! His is the true face of Black America – the face that so much of white America refuses to recognize.
Wow! You said it right, they put down young African-Americans lumping them all together to ignorant to realize there is good and bad in all…Jarell is THE GOOD!
Thanks forgiving definition of wha a real man is. So glad that u are getting some type of recognition since it seems that you were forgotten about in all this mayhe. But there are some good and great Black youth and men out there and you proved it.
God forgive me for judging him (boyfriend/future husband). I would not marry a man who would leave me and two of my children behind after a shooting. Nor would I stand by his side because he sure as h**l did not stand by me, protect me or my children. He throught of his child and his life only. This man will walk out on her when times are at it worst. Oh, he already did this. I know love is blind, but dear father open this woman eyes and have her see what everyone else is seeing and hearing. We are to forgive, but I could never trust this man again.
I thank the young man Jarell who was willing to give his lifet for a mother and her children. He is a young ma with value and passion for life, and his parents and family can be proud of him. I am very proud of him.
Jarell has the blood of a true hero and should be rewarded for his bravery. I feel sorry for Jamie and hear in his voice and see in his action it was a very horrible in that movie theater I hope he receive some mental counseling, No one can say “what they really would have done”, if you wasn’t there.
Piers, there’s nothing special about a whimpering coward abandoning his children and their mother amidst a shooting spree. He should have choked on his hollow marriage proposal. She can’t expect him provide for her and her kids after seeing him abandon them at the first sign of danger and difficulty.
Jarell Brooks is a credit to his family. His selfless act is a marked contrast to Jaime Rohrs blubbery explanation for his narcissism. Rohrs dropped his newborn, jumped off a balcony, drove home and hid under his bed before he had to be called about his girlfriend’s condition. He then proposes marriage and then goes on television like he’s some sort of romantic hero. N-A-R-C-I-S-S-I-S-T.
Had Jarell Brooks lost his life aiding Rohrs girlfriend, Rohrs should have charged with a crime. In fact, what he did should be a crime.
God bless this young man..I have to say why on earth would you bring a baby to this movie??? I would never do that in a thousand years!
I’ve been wondering myself, why are all these young babies and toddlers at this movie at midnight?
jamie, coward extraordinaire. that girl should run as fast as she can from that punk.
Yes, Catherine. Real Christians practice what they preach. And while the fact that this young heroic man is black should not be relevant, it is very significant in these days of race-baiting and efforts to roll back the gains of the civil rights era. Jarrell Brooks has shown himself to be a deeply compassionate, real man, real Christian who rose to the occasion (in stark contrast to that poor woman’s idiot boyfriend). And the boyfriend was…white?…I guess. His whiteness shouldn’t be an issue either but especially in this context it is. Best wishes to Jarrell for a speedy recovery and a dignified life.
YOU GO YOUNG MAN!!!!
THIS IS WHY I HAVE TO PUSH MY PROGRAM B.O.U.N.C.E. 4 Youth, Inc. (Believing, Organizing, Understanding, Creating N Entreprenuers).
YOUNG BLACKS WORTHY TO BE RECONGIZED AND THEY HAVE HEART, STRENGHT, POWER, ETC. I LOVE YOU MAN!!!
You See People “Without Children We Have NO Future”!!
Jarell Brooks just proved it!!
Demand the Federal Government to investigate the Family Court Sytem across the country especially in Texas, California, Florida, New York to start.
YOU GO YOUNG MAN!!!!
THIS IS WHY I HAVE TO PUSH MY PROGRAM B.O.U.N.C.E. 4 Youth, Inc. (Believing, Organizing, Understanding, Creating N Entreprenuers).
YOUNG BLACKS WORTHY TO BE RECONGIZED AND THEY HAVE HEART, STRENGHT, POWER, ETC. I LOVE YOU MAN!!!
You See People “Without Children We Have NO Future”!!
Jarell Brooks just proved it!!
Demand the Federal Government to investigate the Family Court Sytem across the country especially in Texas, California, Florida, New York to start.
…..Georgia also…..
So, his simple a*s was sitting at home, waiting to see if he would be the only parent left to rise the children! Wait, what! Did you hear him! He ran from the shooting, got himself safe a home and wait to see if, his girlfriend and young children was still alive!
Greater love hath no man than this: to lay down his life for a friend. Jarrell Brooks is greater than a hero. He is a friend to
a stranger and her children, who were in need. What a model
of selfless love for others. The young woman should praise God
for another chance to find that purpose-driven life.
Amen!
First of all people, would ABC report.. “A WHITE Teen” saves young mother and 2 kids? h**l NO. JARELL BROOKS blood when shot was RED just like Patricia. ABC shows just how RACIST they really are. To NOT report this story FIRST is beyond me. We are the human race and we ALL bleed RED. What Jarell Brooks did came from his HEART, the ONLY THING GOD SEES… HEARTS. As for Jamie, you need to grow up and stop playing baby daddy. Patricia keep your eyes open because Jamie is immature. Are you seriously going to marry this dude after he left HIS SON and YOU with yet another child in such danger? NO! Please take a lesson from Bristol Palin. Patricia you are better off on your own. JARELL BROOKS, YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY. YOU ARE A YOUNG MAN OF COURAGE! (the fact that you are Black matters not. ABC needs to get over their love affair with RACISM. It stinks.) WE THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA ARE CHEERING YOU ON TODAY JARELL! YOU ROCK!!!!
First of all people, would ABC report.. “A WHITE Teen” saves young mother and 2 kids? h**l NO. JARELL BROOKS blood when shot was RED just like Patricia. ABC shows just how RACIST they really are. To NOT report this story FIRST is beyond me. We are the human race and we ALL bleed RED. What Jarell Brooks did came from his HEART, the ONLY THING GOD SEES… HEARTS. As for Jamie, you need to grow up and stop playing baby daddy. Patricia keep your eyes open because Jamie is immature. Are you seriously going to marry this dude after he left HIS SON and YOU with yet another child in such danger? NO! Please take a lesson from Bristol Palin. Patricia you are better off on your own. JARELL BROOKS, YOU ARE WELL ON YOUR WAY. YOU ARE A YOUNG MAN OF COURAGE! (the fact that you are Black matters not. ABC needs to get over their love affair with RACISM. It stinks.) WE THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA ARE CHEERING YOU ON TODAY JARELL! YOU ROCK!!!!
Warriorgal take off your blinders. ABC’s Good Morning America did not report “Black Teen Saves Mother and Two Children.” That’s the Kulture Kritic headline to get readers’ attention.
Focus your ire on CNN’s Piers Morgan for presenting Jamie Rohrs as some sort of romantic hero and not telling Jarell’s act of selfless heroism.
This Youngman is truly blessed with the guidance and spirit of our ancestors. A true warrior by nature!
Ma’at Hetep
Jarrell Brooks, you are a TRUE HERO!!!! You risked your life to save people that you didn’t even know. God bless you, young man!! If the woman that Jarrell saved even contemplates marrying the JERK COWARD who ran like a puppy with his tail between his legs, she is an idiot!!
What a whimpering simpleton! Let’s see, pop, pop, pop,………every man for himself. He makes it all the way home, probably has a drink and thinks if they make it out I got to make it look good, yeah I’ll ask my girl to marry me, that’ll work! Really, if this girl marries him she’s a d**n fool! Aside from the punk a*s boyfriend and father(I use that term loosely) I want to congratulate a real hero Jarell Brooks a true hero and a real representation of a young black man! I pray God’s blessings upon you always, you have made us proud I hope your injury heals well and you continue being the awesome young man you are shaping into!!!
Oh please! This m**o left that woman and their kids to die! All those crocodile tears and lame a*s excuse are crazy! I mean come on, I knew the girl was gonna take him back anyway. She was gonna go home and listen to his excuse and go back to him. Of course, some women are that stupid and desperate. He escaped and was chillin at home while the mother was shot and didn’t know if her and her kids would survive. And he sounds so choked up on the interview but I haven’t seen a single tear yet.
On a more positive note, good job Jarrell! That was God working through you and I’m very proud of your heroism:)
Please America can we stop with the classification of what a black person does versus a white person. Who cares what color he was integrity is not a race!
Wait a minute, her boyfriend dropped their 7mos old baby on the floor, jumped from the balcony, ran to safety and drove himself home… WTF, kinda coward is he?? Thank God for this selfless young man!! You were a blessing from the start and didn’t even know it, God Speed.. I love you so much for your selflessness, may your future be as bright as you are!! As for the baby father/(cowardly) boyfriend, you can take that marriage proposal and shove it where the sun don’t shine and kiss my — while you’re at it, smh! How could you leave your family to possibly die and then ask her to marry you out of guilt? Truth be told, you deserve to spend the rest of your days by your damned self pondering your thoughts about the value of family, how dare you…
First i want to praise this young man for putting his life on the line!! Second why does it have to say ” Black Teen”? Can it be “Teen saves family as their COWARD ( hate to call him father) runs out to save himself.
9
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And why can’t Jarrell Brooks just be a young man who saved a woman and her children’s lives? Why do Black people always have to bring race into everything? Blacks are the real racists dammit! When a White person does something decent, White folks aren’t all over the internet and TV boasting about “our White person did something great”. What Jarrell did was heroic and selfless, but what does Black have to do with it? Self-righteous Afrocentric Black people are always complaining about this being a racist society and all everybody sees is color and color color color color color. But Black folks are the first ones to bring up color in every d**n situation,when nobody else is thinking about color or even caring.
Yes, they do care. I’ve notice that whenever there is a national incident, and heros are involved, you almost always wonder if there were any Afro-Americans heros involved. It’s like only the whites get the interviews for the news . Seems like either there were no Afro-Americans in the whole city. Makes you wonder if the news network purposely ignore the black people. Sure enough, that’s just what all the networks did. I never would have known had it not been for this site. Think 9/11. All white heros so yo are led to believe.
Would you feel the same way if Jarrell was Muslim? Religion does not have to factor in doing the right thing.
Lol… so you think Jarell wrote this article?
Better yet… Do you think Jarell wrote any article that starts off ‘Black teen saves mother and children’
Lenny is your real name Jaime Rohrs?
Greater love hath no man than this: to lay down his life for a friend. Jarrell Brooks is greater than a hero. He is a friend to
a stranger and her children, who were in need. What a model
of selfless love for others.
This is what ABC needs to publish. The great love Jarrell Brooks has for his fellowman.
I pray God’s blessings upon you always. You have made us proud. I hope your injury heals well and that you continue being the awesome young man that God has shaped you to be!!!
God Bless You!
Reply
Funny that this couple were MSNBC and nothing were said about her boy friend bolted and left her and the kids, and that a Black man help save them.
There is something very wrong with this STORY.
A true hero. As for the boyfriend, sighs, I can’t really judge. But to leave your family in a hail a bullets is mind boggling to me.
Jarell = Great Man & Hero!
Jamie = worthless punk.
Why was the boyfriend or ex-boyfriend being interviewed? She should do like him, run for the hill. Proud of the young man and greatful that they are okay. My heart grieves for the losses and the tragedy. I ponder on why one person would order so many guns and explosives without any flags?
People do not treat you the way they do based upon the color of your red blood! We are all human for a fact, with disparities by race in full affect. “Black teen” is apporpriate considering what most headlines say that are negative and cause more distrust of them. We can swallow “Black students are behind White student academically” but we struggle with “Black teens have higher Emotional and spiritual IQ than white strtudents.”
No Ma’am, Dude needs to save that story for Jesus, dude talking about how he left her and daughter getting shot up. Nah, once ole girl start thinking about what dude did no need for a wedding.
I live in Aurora and this guy has been all over the news crying and snotting. This is the first I heard that he left her and the children. I hope she thinks twice about marrying this guy.
Sorry for my language but Jamie is straight up b***h made! I would never leave my kids like that! No excuse . She stupid if she marry that scrub.
I live in Denver and this is the first I heard about this.
Great comments but I hope those of you who posted also put your money where your mouth is and supported Jarell’s scholarship fund.
If Zimmerman can raise $200,000 there is absolutely no reason or excuse why Jarell Brooks should not raise at least five times that amount. So often on this forum we have debates about religion, politics, gay marriage etc. I think we can all agree this young man should be rewarded, And for all those who talk so much smack of how the church doesn’t do this, the mosque doesn’t do that, or black people are lazy, put YOUR feet to the fire and cough up some cash. I Did.
Thanks a lot for this article.What a great action Jerell,you’re a fine caring young man.I knew I had seen some Blacks in the theater but nothing about a Black getting shot and definitely doing anything heroic.The media is extremely right wing leaning.
Addressing Lenny guy’s statement, I beg to differ the media almost
always airs the heros of war as being mostly white and only that
blacks do all the crime. So it is always bout what whites do heroic
in wars and in other news articles that airs especially on CNN and other news stations. If it wasn’t for the internet we wouldn’t have
heard of this heroic young man saving this family’s life and getting
shot himself. It’s alway good to know that Black’s are considered
heros too. Thanks to the internet news for sharing this story
and God Bless Jerell for being there and acting for the good of
others.
Can you believe Patricia is now not giving Jarell any recognition for helping save her and her family? UNBELIEVABLE!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2176718/The-Dark-Knight-Rises-Colorado-Shooting-Jamie-Rohrs-lost-baby-floor-panic-massacre-cinema.html
I wonder why the media pointed out the “black race/color” (as usual) in the article’s title, and didn’t even mention the teen’s gender. Yet, the “race/color” of the woman (covered gender here) and kids isn’t specified in the title. But of course that has to mean the reader would assume they must be “white or non-black.” Nonetheless, I applaud this precious teen male (who actually displayed being a MAN in this heroic act)! And after reading the article, he IS legally a man. Kudos to teen-man or man-teen Mr. Brooks. Smiles.
Smh
I wonder why the media pointed out the “black race/color” (as usual) in the article’s title, and didn’t even mention the teen’s gender. Yet, the “race/color” of the woman (covered gender here) and kids isn’t specified in the title. But of course that has to mean the reader would assume they must be “white or non-black.” Nonetheless, I applaud this teen male (who actually displayed being a MAN in this heroic act)! And after reading the article, he IS legally a man. Kudos to teen-man or man-teen Mr. Brooks. Smiles.
We need to post the truth on those sites so they can get the real story. let flood them with the truth.
What truth do u mean?
man i would be so ashamed if i was him! he put his own safety ahead of his babies! a complete stranger rescued them and risked his own life for them, but yet daddy couldn’t do it? the complete and utter shame and disgrace. i couldn’t hold my head up if i was him.
This young girl is so dumb she can’t seem to get this straight, this fool abandoned her and his own child just to save his narrow behind, THE COWARD. Could NOT SAVE HIS OWN CHILD?! Now she is about to marry him too? Where is her parents? Her Mother should SLAP some SENSE into her Cerebral Cortex, provided there is something to stop the leakage. Maybe she is afraid of saying no to this fool……
Thank God for Jarrell and his unselfishness. Did the right thing.
lmao!! so true
GOD bless that young man and the very lucky people that he saved from death… There are more good young people out there and this proves that you can’t judge a book by it’s color!!!
I wonder if the boyfriend thank MR. JARELL BROOKS FOR saving his girlfriend and children lives? What a COWARD and he thinks asking her to marry him will make it RIGHT oh well, don’t let a break inn or fire happen in their home we’ll know who HAULING a*s first. Thank you JARELL
Yes this coward did propose after leaving his family out to die. The part that gets me the most is that she accepted!!! wth is she thinking???
At first when I heard the story I was shocked and disappointed that any parent would have a four month old baby out at that time of night. Then I heard of the father’s cowardly and disgusting act of leaving his children behind. Heck with the mother she is obviously lacking moral and common sense. Sure honey I will marry you although our children and me could have been killed cause you saved yourself. Yeah every relationship has its problems no biggie. Thank God for Jarrell. Its is apparent he cared more about those children then the parents that created them.
right!
What the young man did was truly heroic and commendable. However, I do not see what race has to do with the situation at all. On a side note, that woman should be ashamed of herself for accepting that proposal as it is clearly a futile attempt at redemption oh behalf of that coward.
elrancho2 July 23, 2012 at 11:14 am
“What a guy! His is the true face of Black America – the face that so much of white America refuses to recognize.”
=========
Actually, it is the face of Black America, the the media refuses to show, they would rather keep the hate going and hide the real Black America behind the thugs!
This is truly an example of who we are as a people!
God Bless Jarell and all the people who helped during this senseless tragedy.We pray that they will all recover from this horrible catastrophe.God bless all the victims.
Classic reacher/settler syndrome. She’s settled for a guy who’s personality isn’t to big for her to handle, so she doesn’t feel controlled or inferior. She knows he’s a whimp (look at her face as he gives that lame excuse/explanation) but she also knows if she “plays in her league” or above it, she’ll be a slight bit inferior, by her own doing. He KNOWS he’s lucky to be with her, KNOWS he’s a dead-beat and KNOWS he had to do something to reassure her that he’s trying to make an effort, because he KNOWS she knows he’s beneath what her standards should be. I’m neither praising her; she’s got a losers mentality to stick with this guy, especially in marriage, nor discrediting him completely, he’s persuasive enough to get this girl to consider marrying him after knowing flat out he’s a whimp! Maybe they belong together, but the kids could definitely do better!
WTF is this pos babbling about???? I saw them on tv but never knew he left his family and drove home to……wait it out!!!! Lady if you marry this punk you will make a big mistake…..he is worthless!!!
Dr. Boyce, you never ceases to amaze me. At the start of this tragic incident, you implied that this was crazed white man, that was killing blacks. Now after that theory, has been debunked, you are now trying to find any black person, that happened to have any involvement in this case, and automatically crowning them as heroes. This comment, is not to diminish anyones effort to save the lives of victims, but it does serves to show your total disregard of the truth, and your blatant race hustling. This was an American tragedy, and though the majority of the people that was murdered, and injured in this rampage were white, you are constantly trying to figure out a way, to make this a racial incident. The guy that you mentioned, may truly be a hero, but I guarantee you that race had no involvement in his heroic actions. Please explain to us, how you have made this ridiculous acclamation, of a black hero? what makes him being black, so extraordinary,than the other heroes, and what has race to do with this story?
Why did the media have to preface this article with “black” who cares what color he was/is. He’s still a wonderful brave young man. Stop making everything about RACE……… yuck!!!
The look on the girlfriend face was priceless when he was “explaining things.”
The babies daddy panicked and was intent on saving himself….plain and simple. Truthfully I’ve never been in that situation so I really can’t say where my head would be at…but I love the h**l out of my daughters and protecting them from harm would be my natural reaction. I would like to think I would take a bullet for them…but being out of harm’s way at this moment makes it easier for me to say. I think what those babies dad did was sad and somewhat cowardly but who knows what any of us would have done. Just saying.