BOULDER, Colo. — The City of Boulder commemorated the 10 victims of the King Soopers shooting with Day of Remembrance events on Tuesday.
Boulder was changed forever when a gunman ran inside a King Soopers and took 10 innocent lives. A year later, the pain is still fresh while the community continues to heal.
"It’s not ever something that you fully recover from. It becomes part of your identity," Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett said. "But it doesn’t define us as a community. What really defines us is how we’ve come together since the shooting."
A remembrance ceremony was held Tuesday afternoon to honor those who were killed at the grocery store. King Soopers locations around the state held a moment of silence at 2:30 p.m., the time the shooting happened.
Last March 22, Brockett saw his town added to the list of cities across the country where mass shootings have happened. But he said that one terrible day isn’t what Boulder should be known for.
"We’re going back to those first hours, as we’re learning of the loss of our community members, and revisiting and reliving those moments. It’s tough," Brockett said.
Local and state leaders spoke at the remembrance ceremony to honor the victims, vowing to never forget them.
"On a Monday afternoon one year ago, Coloradans who came to buy eggs, pick up groceries, some who dropped by to get their vaccine, experienced a devastating and unfathomable tragedy," U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse said. "Even a year later, it is hard to fully put words to it. It’s hard to fully comprehend a tragedy like this one."
Video below: The full Line of Duty Death commemoration for Officer Eric Talley
In addition to Tuesday's remembrance events, on March 31, CU Boulder will hold a ceremonial tree planting at 2:30 p.m. at the site of a new memorial in honor of the victims.
The Boulder Strong Resource Center, at 2935 Baseline Road, remains available as a safe place of healing and support for those who need it.
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