Colorado town of Aurora stands silent as US President Barack Obama consoles victims, survivors

Tears and cheers flowed freely as the American town of Aurora, Colorado held a poignant vigil Sunday to the victims and survivors of a cinema massacre last week which left 12 filmgoers dead.

US President Barack Obama, who was making a visit to the shaken Colorado town, paid an emotional tribute to those who had perished during last Friday's shooting shooting at a screening of the latest Batman movie, which also left 58 injured.

"I confessed to them that words are always inadequate in these types of situations," he said as thousands gathered for a vigil outside the municipal center in Aurora, just outside Denver.

The alleged gunman, 24-year-old James Holmes, is accused of bursting into a packed midnight screening of the latest Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises" early Friday, throwing two canisters of noxious gas into the crowd, and then shooting at random.

The tragedy, which took place in a town located 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the scene of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre which left 13 dead, also left at least 58 others injured.

Scroll through to see images from the tribute ...