Batman actor Christian Bale visits Aurora, Colo., shooting victims

Christian Bale, star of the Batman trilogy of movies, paid a surprise visit Tuesday to injured victims of the recent shooting rampage in Aurora, Colo. The shooting occurred during a midnight screening of the latest Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Twelve people were killed and 58 were injured in the attack early Friday; a suspect was arrested in a nearby parking lot afterward.

Bill Voloch, interim president of Medical Center of Aurora, told the Denver Post that Bale spent about 2½ hours Tuesday at the hospital, where he met with seven of the victims. Five are being treated at the center; the two others came from Swedish Medical Center to meet with the Welsh actor.

“The patients were really happy to meet Bale,” Voloch was quoted as saying. “They are obviously big fans of his movies. They wanted to see Batman and were really pleased to see Bale.”

Bale, who was accompanied by his wife, Sibi Blazic, also met with doctors, police officers and emergency medical technicians who were among the first responders, the paper reported.

Campaigns had been launched on Facebook and Twitter urging Bale, dressed as Batman, to visit children injured in the shooting. But the actor apparently left his mask and cape at home. Photos posted on social media sites showed him dressed in a blue T-shirt as he walked down a hallway and visited with a patient.

The visit won praise on some social media sites. “Now thats class, I knew he would do this, what a stand up Guy.... “ Steve Fackerell wrote on Facebook.

Over the weekend, Bale released a statement, saying: “Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.”

Director Christopher Nolan and actress Anne Hathaway, who plays Selina Kyle and her alter ego, Catwoman, in the latest movie, released similar statements.

The Medical Center of Aurora received 18 patients from the shooting, seven of whom were admitted. As of late Monday, three of them remained in intensive care and two were in critical condition. Four patients went to Swedish Medical Center, according to the Denver Post.

The other victims were taken to other hospitals.

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alexandra.zavis@latimes.com