'Always in our hearts': Boulder pays tribute to those who died in the King Soopers mass shooting

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BOULDER, Colo. — A day after unspeakable tragedy struck their city, Boulderites paused Tuesday to pay tribute to their fallen neighbors.

Whether it was offering prayers or leaving flowers, people found ways to show their devotion Tuesday to those who were shot dead at a King Soopers store.

"We all feel the same way," said Rev. James Ray, pastor of Boulder's Second Baptist Church, as he stood near the store. "And I think the reason why we feel the same way is because it doesn't matter whether you're Black, whether you're white, or whatever your religion is. We know what pain feels like. We all can relate to that."

Ray's church is a couple miles from the store, where a gunman killed 10 people Monday. Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold identified Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, of Arvada as the suspect in the mass killing.

The victims included grocery workers, a retiree, and a soon-to-be grandfather, The Colorado Sun reported. Boulder police officer Eric Talley, 51, a father of seven children and the first officer at the active-shooter scene Monday, was also among the dead.

Ray said he came to the store Tuesday knowing it was still fenced off as an active crime scene, "but I'm just here to serve, to help out in any way that I can, ... to just be here as a ministry of presence."

"It's my local supermarket," said Daniel Regut, who placed flowers against a chain link fence outside the store. His bouquet joined many others.

"Like, you hear across the country every time (there's a mass shooting). I never thought it would happen here," he said. "And anybody who knows Boulder really knows how true that is. You'd never expect that to happen here."

Cars streamed by through the day. One sign perched near the store said, "Always in our hearts." Another read, "Our thoughts and love are with you."

Outside Boulder Police headquarters, the hood of Talley's vehicle was covered with flowers. One man paused to salute the cruiser.

At a briefing for journalists, Chief Herold — a veteran of more than a quarter-century of law enforcement in Cincinnati who came to Boulder a year ago — called the mass shooting "heartbreaking."

"It's hard. It's challenging," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I live three blocks up the street from that store. You're worried about your neighbors, you're worried about your partners. You're worried about everything when you get that call."

"It's natural for us to feel the pain," Pastor Ray said. Addressing the Boulder community, he said: "Let's continue to pray for one another, ... and let's continue to love one another."