'Producers' fans donated $51,000 to 'Aurora Strong' campaign

Patrons who saw "The Producers" at the Paramount Theater in February and March donated more than $51,000 to the "Aurora Strong" campaign for the families of the victims of the Feb. 15 shooting at the Henry Pratt Co plant.

The amount was announced Tuesday by Tim Rater, the Paramount's chief executive officer, during Mayor Richard Irvin's biweekly news conference.

The donations bring the fund to more than $383,000.

Most of that has been collected through a GoFundMe account online.

One of the large fundraisers was a concert at Ballydoyle pub that raised more than $55,000.

Members of the Aurora firefighters union also passed a boot around at the concert, raising more than $12,000.

City spokesman Clayton Muhammad said the GoFundMe account likely will close within a week, but the city will continue to accept checks for several more weeks.

Rater said the Paramount mentioned the "Aurora Strong" campaign before each performance and displayed the logo on the stage curtains. Ushers and employees collected the donations in baskets as patrons exited.

Irvin noted that people from six states and 496 cities attended the "The Producers," which ended its run March 17.

Four Pratt employees and an intern were killed by another Pratt worker.

Another Pratt worker, plus five Aurora police officers, also were shot.

A sixth officer was injured by shattered glass.