Aurora, Colo., Fund to Distribute $5-Million by Thanksgiving

The families of those killed and most seriously harmed in July’s mass shooting at an Aurora, Colo., movie theater will receive more than $200,000 each, paid out by Thanksgiving, under a plan announced Monday by victims’ fund special master Kenneth Feinberg, The Denver Post reports.

The Washington, D.C., lawyer, who has been drafted to mediate disbursements in some of the country’s highest-profile crises, was brought into the Aurora case by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper last month after survivors and their families bitterly criticized management of the nearly $5-million in donations to the Aurora Victim Relief Fund.

The proposal will divide 70 percent of the fund evenly among the families of the 12 people slain in the July 20 attack and the three who suffered paralysis or brain damage. The remainder will be shared by those injured based on how long they were hospitalized.

“I don’t hear a lot of criticism” of the plan, said Mr. Feinberg, who met publicly with victims and their relatives last week. “For one, there’s resignation. And people generally feel: ‘Well, he’s getting the money out the door.’” He added, “There’s not enough money. It’s a horrible situation.”

The deadline for donating to the fund is Nov. 15. A group representing the families of most of those killed said in a statement Monday that it is in talks with “a trusted, nationally recognized organization” to collect contributions for the victims beyond the deadline.