How were Thomas and Martha Wayne killed in Batman's origin story?

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Batman Heath Ledger (seated) as the Joker and Christian Bale as Batman in *The Dark Knight* (2008).

In the origin story of Batman, Thomas and Martha Wayne were killed after exiting a Gotham City movie house following a nighttime screening of The Mark of Zorro.1

As the family left the theater, they were confronted by a thief who brandished a pistol and attempted to rob them. When Dr. Thomas Wayne moved to protect his wife, the gunman—described as panicky—shot and killed both parents while their young son, Bruce, watched in horror. This traumatic event served as the catalyst for Bruce Wayne’s lifelong dedication to fighting crime.1