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BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union released a statement after a shooting at a Boulder King Soopers on Monday that claimed the lives of ten people.

“As the union for the brave Colorado grocery workers caught in the crossfire of this tragic shooting, UFCW is heartbroken and our prayers are with our members, their families, and the loved ones of all the victims,” UFCW International President Marc Perrone said. “We are deeply thankful to the grocery workers, customers, and first responders whose courageous actions helped to prevent even more lives from being lost.”

The union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, went on to say that it “condemns the senseless violence” and called for action to prevent future tragedies that endanger the lives of frontline workers and urging state and federal leaders to conduct a full investigation.

“Protecting essential workers and the families they serve must be the first priority of corporate and elected leaders,” Perrone said. “The victims and their families deserve answers and need to know that our leaders are doing all they can to prevent future tragedies like this from endangering even more of our country’s brave essential workers.”

The shooting comes at a time when grocery workers are already facing additional risks while being on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UFCW says that at least 1,060 of the over 22,000 Colorado workers it represents have contracted Covid-19, and that at least four have died from the virus. Nationally, this number is much higher.

“Every day of this pandemic, grocery workers have been bravely putting their health at risk on the frontlines of COVID-19 to keep our families fed,” said Perrone. “This shooting is a tragic reminder that the pandemic is not the only threat our communities face.”

At the time of the shooting, 32 King Soopers grocery workers were on shift at the Boulder store located at 3600 Table Mesa Drive.