Obama Personally Expresses Nation's Condolences to Aurora Shooting Victims

President Obama spent a few hours in Aurora, Colorado Sunday to console the families of the victims of last Friday's shooting massacre at a movie theater that left 12 people dead and 58 wounded.

The president also took time to meet with some of the survivors of the shooting that came during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises.

Later, flanked by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and various Aurora officials, Obama admitted that while words to victims' families could not offer real solace, "my main task was to serve as a representative of the entire country and let them know that we are thinking about them at this moment, and will continue to think about them each and every day."

The president acknowledged that while much of the focus now is on alleged shooter James Holmes, who he didn't mention by name, this attention would gradually dissipate, promising, "Out of this darkness a brighter day is going to come."

In a poignant moment, Obama described meeting with a shooting victim, 19-year-old Allie Young.

The president said that although Young was wounded in the neck, 21-year-old Stephanie Davies ignored the cries of her friend to save herself by continuing to apply pressure to the artery, enabling paramedics to eventually treat Young.

According to the president, "Because of Stephanie's timely actions - I just had a conversation with Allie downstairs and she's going to be fine...(they) represent what's best in us."

Obama soon left Aurora but a vigil went on without him as local residents offered prayers for the victims. Simple white crosses were also collected as a makeshift memorial.