10 People, Including a Cop, Killed in Mass Shooting at Colorado Supermarket: "This Shouldn't Happen in America"

Trigger warning: This story contains themes of gun violence that some readers may find distressing

At least 10 people were killed by a gunman who opened fire at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday. A 51-year-old policeman Eric Talley, who was the first to respond to the shooting, was also killed. The suspect, who was arrested by the cops, appeared to be covered in blood on his arm and right leg. The incident happened at roughly 3 p.m. at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, a north-central Colorado city, reported Reuters. “Boulder has suffered a terrible and horrific mass shooting today,” said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty at a news conference. This is the second deadly mass shooting in America in a week following the attack on three massage parlors in Atlanta that caused the death of eight people.

Shoppers and employees fled as shots rang out from inside the store. Sarah Moonshadow, 42, a Boulder resident, who was in the store with her son, Nicholas, recalled escaping the store after hearing gunshots. “We were at the checkout, and shots just started going off,” said Moonshadow. “And I said, ‘Nicholas get down.’ And Nicholas ducked. And we just started listening and there, just repetitive shots ... and I just said, ‘Nicholas, run.’” Moonshadow said she tried to help a victim as they were escaping but her son pulled her away.

Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold held back tears as she confirmed 10 people had been killed in the attack. Herold said Talley, the cop who had been killed, was the father of seven children. The suspected gunman, who was taken away in an ambulance, hasn't been publicly identified. Video footage showed the suspect to be a bearded man. He was shirtless, wearing boxer shorts, and appeared to be limping. He was covered in blood as the cops handcuffed him. He was put on a stretcher before being taken away from the scene of the crime in an ambulance. The motive of the crime is not known yet.

"This feels like the safest spot in America and I just nearly got killed for getting a soda, you know, and a bag of chips. Doesn't feel good," said Ryan Borowski, one of the customers at the store during the shooting, reported CNN. Kevin Daly, an area business owner, said, "We're not really trained for this. I don't want to get political but this shouldn't have to happen in America." The shooting comes less than a week after the (National Rifle Association) NRA bragged about blocking a Boulder AR-15 ban a week before the mass shooting, reported Yahoo News. One senior law enforcement officer stated that the weapon used in the shooting at the grocery store was an AR-15-style rifle.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Local 7, which represents 32 employees at the King Soopers outlet, thanked the staff for guiding the customers during the shooting. “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,” read the statement.

"These were people going about their day, doing their shopping and their lives were cut abruptly short and tragically short by the shooter who is now in custody," said Michael Dougherty, the district attorney for Boulder County. "I hope that people of this country send the families of the loved ones their thoughts and prayers. But from my perspective, there's more for us to do than give them thoughts and prayers. We're going to go all out to ensure the right result is reached," he added.

Colorado has a history of witnessing some of the most gruesome mass shootings. In 2012, a man entered a movie theater and fired bullets at the audience, killing 12 and wounding 70. In 1999, a couple of students opened fire at Columbine High School, Colorado, killing 12 classmates and a teacher before turning the gun on themselves.

References:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-colorado-shooting-idUSKBN2BE308

https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/colorado-king-soopers-shooting/index.html

https://news.yahoo.com/nra-bragged-blocking-boulder-ar-040000858.html

Cover image credit: Getty Images | Chet Strange