Boulder Shooting Victim Tralona Bartkowiak Always Smiled: Friends

BOULDER, CO — One of the victims of the deadly Boulder grocery store shooting was a kindhearted, "free spirit" who was always smiling, her friends and neighbors said.

Tralona "Lonna" Bartkowiak, 49, was at the King Soopers when a shooter opened fire at the store Monday, killing her and nine other people, police said.

A shrine filled with candles and flowers kept growing Wednesday outside Umba Love, the clothing and accessories shop that Bartkowiak ran with her sister on Boulder’s popular Pearl Street Mall.

“She was just a really happy-go-lucky person,” said Tricia Hunter, a manager at the Savory Spice store next door.

Hunter said Bartkowiak was dedicated to her shop, traveling to festivals and working hard to keep the business going.

“She was a very free spirit, kind to everyone, always smiling, always happy," Hunter said. “I rarely saw her in a bad mood.”

Hunter said she went to Umba Love to borrow shipping boxes and saw Bartkowiak on Sunday. Her death the next day was a shock.

“It is pretty heartbreaking that somebody is just running to the store to get something, and a gunman is there shooting people, and you get killed," she said.

Friend and former roommate Stacy Dixon told KUSA-TV that Bartkowiak was planning to get married soon.

She was “giving and kind and uplifting" and “had probably the brightest light I have ever met in a human being,” Dixon said.

Gov. Jared Polis ordered Tuesday all flags lowered to half staff for 10 days in honor of each of the 10 people who lost their lives in the Boulder grocery store shooting.

The following victims were identified:

• Eric Talley, 51
• Denny Stong, 20
• Neven Staisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65

"This loss is especially painful for the friends and family members left behind," Polis said in a statement.

"As Governor, I offer my special condolences to all of those who suffered loss, but this is truly a loss for all of us, and we mourn the ten who died as a state and a nation. This has been a painful year, and we sit here once again surrounded by seemingly incomprehensible loss.

"We can never let ourselves become numb to this pain, because we simply can't let this be accepted as anything close to a normal occurrence. We know there will be many hard days in the weeks and months ahead, but today let us remember the ten men and women who are no longer with us."

President Joe Biden also issued a proclamation Tuesday ordering all flags lowered to half-staff in remembrance of the Boulder shooting victims.

Donation campaigns are underway to help those affected by Monday's deadly shooting — learn more about how you can help here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.