Remembering Boulder Shooting Victim Neven Stanisic, Man Of Faith

BOULDER, CO — A row of 10 crosses line a fence outside the Boulder grocery store where 10 people were killed in a mass shooting Monday. One of those crosses is dedicated to Neven Stanisic, 23, who was a man of faith, his church said.

Stanisic was the second youngest victim killed in the shooting. He was a service worker who was fixing a coffee machine in the King Soopers store, officials said.

Stanisic walked back to his car in the store's parking lot, and got inside. A gunman then opened fire, and a bullet struck and killed Stanisic, police said.

Stanisic's family released the following statement:

"The Stanisic family wishes to express its gratitude for all the support and kindness extended by friends, neighbors and the family’s church, as well as by local authorities, including the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office," the statement read.

"They also thank the broader Serbian community across the country and beyond for reaching out to them in this time of need. We express our deepest condolences to other families of the innocent victims.

"Parishioners have united in prayer for the Stanisic family and have set up a memorial in front of their church, where people can bring candles, pray and pay respect to Neven," the family's statement read, in part.

Rev. Radovan Petrovic, the head priest of Saint John The Baptist Serbian Orthodox Church in Lakewood, told The Denver Post that Stanisic's family fled the war in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and came to the U.S. as refugees.

"Everything they had was either left behind or destroyed,” Petrovic told The Post.

“They left everything to save their lives, and came here to have a new start.”

The family escaped the violence so their children could have a better life.

Petrovic's wife described the 23-year-old as a hard worker, who was shy and always obeyed his parents, The Post reported.

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.