BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Ten people, including one Boulder Police officer, were killed in a shooting at King Soopers grocery store located at 3600 Table Mesa Drive on Monday afternoon.
Latest Updates
UPDATE (Tuesday, 4:45 p.m.): Kroger has released a statement calling the shooting “senseless violence.”
“In the hours since the shooting, we’re learning of truly heroic acts that included associates, customers and first responders selflessly helping to protect and save others.”
UPDATE (Tuesday, 4:10 p.m.): Honoring the victims: The Boulder Chamber said it will light the Boulder Star for 10 days in honor of each victim. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has also ordered flags in the state to be lowered to half-staff for 10 days.
UPDATE (Tuesday, 2:25 p.m.): This young woman brought flowers to the King Soopers to honor the victims from Monday’s tragedy. Her sister works there and luckily was not working.
UPDATE (Tuesday, 1:32 p.m.): FOX31 NOW’s Alex Rose will be speaking to former Columbine Principal Frank DeAngelis and Behavioral Health Clinician at HealthONE Anat Geva about coping with tragedy. Watch live: at 2 p.m.
UPDATE (Tuesday, 12:15 p.m.): We’re learning more about the 10 people killed. Several were employees at the King Soopers who were working at the time they were killed, others appear to have been customers at the store.
UPDATE (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m.): New details from the affidavit that led to an arrest warrant for Ahmed Alissa have been released.
Police say he had recently bought a rifle that matches the one used in the shooting. At the grocery store police also found a tactical vest and handgun in a bloody pile of Alissa’s clothing.
There has still not been a motive released.
UPDATE: (Tuesday, 11 a.m.): President Joe Biden spoke about the shooting, calling for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. You can watch the news conference above.
UPDATE: (Tuesday, 9:05 a.m.): The victims have been identified as:
- Denny Stong, 20
- Neven Stanisic, 23
- Rikki Olds, 25
- Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
- Suzanne Fountain, 59
- Teri Leiker, 51
- Eric Talley, 51
- Kevin Mahoney, 61
- Lynn Murray, 62
- Jody Waters, 65
The suspect has been identified as a 21-year-old man, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa from Arvada. He is charged with 10 counts of murder.
UPDATE: (Tuesday, 7:20 a.m.): Boulder is on accident alert as the investigation continues.
UPDATE: (Tuesday, 6 a.m.): A memorial is growing at the Boulder Police Department.
UPDATE: (Tuesday, 5:35 a.m.): The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.3 million frontline workers in food and retail – including the 32 King Soopers grocery workers on shift during the shooting at the Boulder, Colorado supermarket – condemned the senseless violence. During the shooting, grocery workers helped lead customers out of the store to safety, putting their own lives at risk.
UPDATE: (Tuesday, 12:09 a.m.): Flowers have been placed near the scene for those who lost their lives in the shooting. More updates are expected from Boulder Police on Tuesday morning.
(11:32 p.m.): Kirstin, who says she is Officer Talley’s sister, tweeted this:
(10:46 p.m.): New updates will be provided on Tuesday. No new information will be released before an 8:30 a.m. news conference, Boulder police said.
(10:20 p.m.): One restaurant owner told his employees to get near a window in case they needed to jump out.
(10:14 p.m.): Boulder police are asking for tips, videos, and/or photos from anyone involved in the incident today.
(10:09 p.m.): Support pouring in for fallen Boulder officer.
(9:45 p.m.): Gov. Polis, who calls Boulder home, submitted this statement:
“Today, ten lives were tragically lost, including Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley. Officer Talley served more than ten years with the Boulder Police Department and tragically lost his life at the age of 51 while working to save the lives of others.
And tonight, the families of these victims, our fellow Coloradans, my neighbors, are hearing the devastating news that their loved one who simply woke up and went to work this morning, or who ran out to pick up eggs, won’t be coming home. Our community anxiously awaits more information on the victims, hoping it’s not our friends, coworkers and neighbors but knowing in our tight knit community it will be, and even if we don’t personally know them, we all mourn their senseless killing and our sense of safety in our local grocery store.
This year we have all been surrounded by loss of life, illness and isolation, and the deep grief that has accompanied the loss of life as we knew it. As spring sprung this weekend, and vaccines continue to get into arms, lightness creeped back in only for the darkness to descend on us again today. Today we saw the face of evil. I am grieving with my community and all Coloradans.”
(9:27 p.m.): Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley was the first on scene.
(8:44 p.m.): A woman holds a thin blue line flag during the procession for slain officer Eric Talley.
(8:31 p.m.): Fallen Boulder police officer Eric Talley was 51 years old and with the department since 2010.
(8:24 p.m.): BPD chief Maris Herold confirms 10 fatalities including the BPD officer that was killed.
(8:09 p.m.): Long line of sirens as fallen officer is brought to the Boulder County Coroner.
(8:01 p.m.): Local 7, which represents 32 grocery workers at King Soopers Store #33 in Boulder condemns senseless act of violence.
“Today our community experienced a senseless act of violence that caused an unnecessary loss of life in Boulder’s vibrant community. It is with deep sadness we mourn the victims and their families who have lost loved ones today, including the heroic Boulder police officer who died in the line of duty. We are forever grateful to the grocery workers, customers, and the first responders who acted swiftly to prevent even greater loss of life–protecting our members and all those in danger inside the store.
“This senseless act of evil also highlights and shines a light on the best of human nature. There are news reports that after gunshots rang out, grocery workers helped customers in the store find safety, directing shoppers to an exit at the back of the store, and assisted one another to escape the danger inside.
“No one should have to fear for their lives while they grocery shop or go to work every day. Unfortunately, our grocery members, frontline Essential Workers, have lived in fear each and every day during the pandemic. These workers have risked getting COVID-19 to make sure shelves were stocked and communities had access to food and other essential services. As COVID-19 cases increased, and colleagues fell ill and some died, they continued to go to work, even as they faced COVID-19 workplace hazards, as well as hostile customers including verbal and physical attacks by unstable members of the public.
“For the last year our members and other associates have fought an invisible enemy, COVID-19, but today several innocent souls were killed by an evil human. We call on government officials and employers to do more to protect our members and communities from the constant threat of violence.”
“Local 7 continues to monitor the situation as details become available.”
(7:52 p.m.): Another witness says he was getting sushi when he heard gunshots.
(7:24 p.m.): Police are preparing a procession for the fallen officer.
(7:16 p.m.): Boulder Police Commander Kerry Yamaguchi, Boulder DA Michael Dougherty and King Soopers spokesperson Kelly McGannon spoke at a news conference just before 7 p.m.
(7:08 p.m.): Some people are heading toward the CU Events Center.
(7:04 p.m.): If loved ones of people affected or think were involved are looking for answers, call BPD.
(6:53 p.m.): Boulder Police Commander Kerry Yamaguchi reports person of interest is in custody and was injured in the incident.
(6:36 p.m.): Police are providing an update and details live now. The shelter-in-place for the area of 17th and Grove has been lifted.
(6:30 p.m.): Multiple fatalities including an officer have been confirmed.
(6:24 p.m.): President Biden has been briefed of the situation.
(6:20 p.m.): Police have just left the 17th and Grove area. Police tape was taken down.
(6:02 p.m.): Multiple law enforcement sources tell FOX31 one officer was killed, two others wounded.
(5:56 p.m.): Boulder Valley School District ordered Boulder High on a secure lockout:
(5:41 p.m.) CU classes have been canceled for the evening:
(5:20 p.m.): Official statement from Gov. Polis:
“My heart is breaking as we watch this unspeakable event unfold in our Boulder community. We are making every public safety resource available to assist the Boulder County Sheriff’s Department as they work to secure the store. I’m incredibly grateful to the brave men and women who have responded to the scene to help the victims of this senseless tragedy. This is very much an active situation and we continue to monitor very closely. We ask for your patience as law enforcement works tirelessly to secure the site. Right now, the biggest priority is to let local law enforcement and the City of Boulder do their work to ensure the safety of those involved.”
(5:11 p.m.): Boulder police just issued a shelter-in-place around 17th and Grove.
(5:08 p.m.): The FBI is now involved in the situation.
(5:01 p.m.): A witness who lives right across the street, Mark, heard a loud bang, thought it was a car crash. He says he then heard a series of several more what sounded like loud fireworks. He went to his window, saw a guy move from right to left and watched him shoot someone, he said.
The union representing King Soopers workers just sent this tweet:
(4:56 p.m.): Some police are leaving scene:
(4:48 p.m.): Eyewitnesses are telling FOX31 reporters they believe there was more than one shooter.
(4:47 p.m): Witness Anna says she lives across the street and she and her roommate heard more than 10 shots and saw people sprinting and getting into cars and driving away. One woman ran and kneeled on the ground screaming and crying.
Anna says she saw a person down on the bottom of the ramp into the store and another in the middle of the parking lot.
(4:34 p.m.): The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is responding to the active shooter situation:
(4:27 p.m.): Witness says he saw three people on the ground. One outside the door, two just inside.
(4:20 p.m.): Boulder police say it is still an active situation:
(4:16 p.m.): SkyFOX was directed to leave the area as police have launched drones in the air.
(4:13 p.m.): Massive amount of law enforcement are staged around the King Soopers:
(4:10 p.m.): Gov. Polis just tweeted about the situation:
(4:09 p.m.): FOX31’s Shaul Turner is on scene:
(4:07 p.m.): From Boulder Community Health: “One patient on the way. Situation still very unclear.”
(4:04 p.m.): Boulder police are telling crews and people around the store to back off and they have a car surrounded.
(4:02 p.m.): Police are going car to car in the King Soopers parking lot.
(3:56 p.m.): Police continue to escort shoppers out of the store. Officers were seen by FOX31’s Vicente Arenas going into the store with battering rams.
Three air ambulances have landed nearby.
(3:44 p.m.): Police led someone in handcuffs out of the store without a shirt or pants on with what looked like blood on their leg and put them into an ambulance.
Witness Daniel Douglas said he was in the store grabbing lunch.
“As we were waiting on the pizza and we started hearing gunshots. It sounded like someone was breaking the glass at first,” Douglas said. “We started screaming and hit the ground.”
Douglas said a lot of people were crying.
“My nerves are so racked right now I’m having a hard time talking,” he said.
ORIGINAL: Police in Boulder are searching for what has been described as an active shooter situation.
Officers were initially called to the King Soopers on Table Mesa Drive.
A witness says they had just left the store after checking out and heard what sounded like fireworks. The witness says a guy was wearing tactical gear carrying an “AR-15 style weapon.” The witness says they ran back inside and told people about the shooter outside, ran into the back of the store and left through delivery entrance. The witness says they ran to the fire station down the street, it wasn’t open so they found a business to shelter in. The witness said the shooter was in the parking lot, and they were unclear if he entered the store.
Boulder police confirm the situation and are telling everyone to avoid the area.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says they have deployed SWAT to the scene.