This photo provided by the University of Colorado shows James Holmes. University spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery says 24-year-old Holmes, who police say is the suspect in a mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater, was studying neuroscience in a Ph.D. program at the University of Colorado-Denver graduate school. Holmes is suspected of shooting into a crowd at a movie theater killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said. (AP Photo/University of Colorado)

THOMAS PEIPERT and P. SOLOMON BANDA

AURORA, Colo. - New York City's police commissioner says the gunman in the Colorado movie theater rampage had painted his hair red and called himself the Joker - the villain from the Batman movies.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said today that he had been briefed about the shootings that killed 12 and wounded nearly 60 others at a showing of the new Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" at a suburban Denver theater.

Kelly and his spokesman did not say who briefed him.

Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates would not confirm the information about suspected gunman James Holmes, but confirmed he had spoken to Kelly. The two used to work together in New York.