One Year Since King Soopers Shooting: Day Of Remembrance

BOULDER, CO — Tuesday, March 22, marks Boulder's officially designated Day of Remembrance. It is a time for the community to come together and recall those who were killed one year ago when an Arvada man opened fire at a Table Mesa King Soopers in Boulder.

"On that day, every year, our community will pause and remember the 10 people who departed. On that day, every year, we will celebrate their lives. On that day, every year, we will say their names out loud so that, in our hearts, they live on," reads Boulder's declaration of the Day of Remembrance, issued on April 6.

The city of Boulder will hold several events Tuesday to commemorate and memorialize the lives lost. A patrol car will be parked in front of Boulder's police station from Friday until Tuesday evening so that people can honor the life of Officer Eric Talley, who was the first officer to enter the grocery store in response to the shooting last year.

In addition to hosting a communitywide gathering at the Glen Huntington Bandshell from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday evening, Boulder will also hold a moment of silence at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and a Line of Duty Death commemoration at the police station at 2 p.m.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa — the man accused of killing nine shoppers and workers and one police officer, who faces a total of 54 charges, including 10 counts of first-degree murder — was deemed incompetent to stand trial on Oct. 11 due to a "mental disability." He has been granted a second evaluation, which has not yet been completed.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Gov. Jared Polis signed three new gun bills into law in June. One of the new laws, SB21-256, allows for local governments to pass gun regulations that are stricter than Colorado's state-level gun restrictions.

Another bill signed into law, HB21-1298, prevents Coloradans from purchasing guns without completing a background check. The final law, HB21-1299, created Colorado's Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

The King Soopers grocery store where the shooting occurred reopened on Feb. 9 with a ribbon-tying ceremony that also served as a memorial service for the victims of the shooting. The store, according to a press release, will be closed on Tuesday, and all King Soopers locations will recognize the moment of silence at 2:30.

Polis, according to a news release, will join the Boulder community at the Day of Remembrance Tuesday evening.

The 10 killed in the shooting are:

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

"It’s hard to believe it’s been one year since the lives of ten of our fellow Coloradans were tragically taken far too soon at the King Soopers on Table Mesa," Polis said. "With every day that goes by, with every anniversary, with each new beginning, we think of them with love. We remember that day but also the acts of kindness and compassion that quickly followed — from the embrace of strangers to families traveling from every corner leaving flowers, prayers, and handmade signs at the memorial.

"Let today serve as a reminder that moving forward doesn’t mean leaving those we’ve lost behind. We must never forget the Colorado spirit of strength and resilience demonstrated in our darkest hours, together we will help each other heal, take pride in our community, and cherish our time with our loved ones all the more."