(Image Source: Denver Post )

BY JOHN O’CONNOR

ANCHOR NATHAN BYRNE

Warning signs may have been missed about suspected Aurora theater gunman, James Holmes. CNN explains .

“The University of Colorado’s psychiatrist, who was seeing suspect James Holmes, was so alarmed about something he said in early June that she called the school’s threat assessment team to warn them.” 

Dr. Lynne Fenton notified the university’s threat team after Holmes revealed he had recently purchased an assault rifle, but the team pursued no action after Holmes withdrew from the university a few days later. A threat assessment expert told ABC’s “Good Morning America” those actions should have been a red flag.

“I think that's a signal that you should intensify your efforts, not walk away. Under those circumstances most well-trained threat assessment teams would have gone into action.” 

James Holmes may have also given his psychiatrist a package before the shooting. MSNBC reports .

“Unconfirmed reports said that the package, which had not yet been delivered to Fenton, contained a notebook with writings and illustrations of shootings.” 

Dr. Keith Ablow of the Fox News medical team explains patients rarely contain all their violent thoughts during therapy.  

“If both reports are true, it would be very unlikely that Holmes’ notebook was the first time he communicated his violent fantasies to Fenton … Therefore, the Holmes case has the potential to become not only one of the most tragic criminal cases in America, but one of the most tragic cases of malpractice — ever.”

Dr. Ablow went on to say it is difficult for psychiatrists to require hospital treatment for patients unwilling to go, and university officials felt Holmes was outside their “jurisdiction” after he withdrew from the university. Denver’s KMGH reports .

“The threat assessment team never had a formal meeting and never intervened – thinking they had no control over Holmes once he left.” 

According to the Denver Post , Holmes has been charged with 24 counts of first degree murder as well as an additional 116 counts for attempted murder.