Caleb Medley faces brain damage and $1m bill

An up-and-coming stand-up comedian was among the Colorado movie shooting victims, it has emerged.

Caleb Medley, 23, was hit in the face by a bullet in the rampage. He lost his right eye, has some brain damage and doctors have put him in a medically induced coma.

He and his wife Katie, also 23, had gone to the midnight screened of the Batman film Dark Night Rises in Aurora as their last night out before becoming parents – as Katie was due to give birth on Sunday.

Both she and the baby, who will be named Hugo, escaped injury during, but the young family is now facing medical bills that could top $1million dollars, since they did not have any health insurance.

Neighbours have set up a fund to help cover the bills, and comedians have also rallied to help, with names such as Patton Oswalt and Joe Rogan spreading the word on Twitter.

Medley had appeared in a new act competition at the Comedy Works in Denver just two nights before the shooting, and had advanced to the next round.

His friend Mike West told the local paper: ‘He never hurt anybody in his life. He was a great guy -- everybody loved him and he loved everybody. He and his family don't deserve any of what has happened.’

Twelve people were killed and more than 50 others were injured in the tragedy. Nine remain in critical condition.

James Holmes, 24, has appeared in court over the incident, but has refused to co-operate with authorities piecing together what happened.

Click here for the donation page for Caleb Medley’s fund.

Published: 23 Jul 2012