Washington, Jul 22 (IANS): US President Barack Obama will travel to Aurora city in Colorado state to meet the families of victims of Friday's shooting incident where a man gunned down 12 people during the screening of the latest Batman movie, the White House said.

The president will meet wounded survivors and bereaved families as well as city officials of Aurora, Xinhua reported citing a White House statement.

Following Friday's shooting spree at a theatre showing "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises" that also left 59 people injured, Obama cut short his campaigning in Florida and headed back to Washington.

He termed the tragedy a "heinous crime" that was "senseless" and "beyond reason".

The president has also ordered US flags to be flown at half-mast for six days.

Police have arrested the suspect, identified as 24-year-old James Holmes. All things in his booby-trapped apartment that were thought to be dangerous have been removed.

Authorities said the evidence indicates months of plotting but the motives are yet to be determined.