Grocery Store Shooting: Flags Ordered To Be Flown At Half-Staff Until April 1
DENVER (CBS4) - Flags on all public buildings are ordered by Gov. Jared Polis to be lowered to half-staff for the next 10 days through April 1. The act honors and remembers the 10 people who died in the King Soopers shooting in Boulder on March 22.
The victims are:
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
Three victims, Stong, Olds and Leiker, were employees at the grocery store. Another victim, Talley, was a Boulder police officer.
"This loss is especially painful for the friends and family members left behind. 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," said Polis.
President Biden issued this statement about his proclamation which calls for flags to be lowered through sunset on March 27:
As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, March 27, 2021. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth. JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
The city of Boulder also announced they will light the Boulder Star for the next 10 nights to honor the victims. They ask the public to stay away from the fixture.
"Out of respect for the challenging days ahead for our law enforcement officials, we ask that our community respect the 'No Trespassing' signage and group gathering restrictions for the open space area around the Boulder Star," the city stated.
