“It’s sad but happy that we were able to honor his life,” Crystal Hootman told CNN. “I was talking to another resident and we both shop in the grocery store. I hope with grief that Boulder will be an even better place to live,” she said.
Talley’s body was transported to a funeral home in nearby Aurora, accompanied by a procession of police and emergency response vehicles.
In the King Soopers store, where the shooting took place, visitors left flowers and paid their respects to the ten people who died. Church chaplains were available to those in need, as well as Cubby, an emotional support golden retriever.
Monday’s attack began with a gunman shooting a man in the parking lot before entering the supermarket and opening fire. According to witnesses and an arrest statement, employees and customers attempted to flee while the shooter wandered shopping aisles.
The victims were: Talley, 51; store manager Rikki Olds, 25; store employee Denny Stong, 20; store employee Teri Leiker, 51; Cousins Stanisic, 23; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.
Mayor Sam Weaver of Boulder said Wednesday that he spoke with President Joe Biden, who expressed his condolences and condolences.
“The talk was, of course, about what we can do to make sure this never happens in another community in our country, so we explored that a little bit,” the mayor told CNN’s Pamela Brown. The president said he regretted that when the first federal ban on assault weapons was passed in 1994, there had to be a ten-year sunset for that to pass.
“Furthermore, he regretted that the sunset happened and the ban expired. And then we discussed some steps that could be taken at the federal level to make sure things like this just don’t happen to other communities.”
The first appearance of the shooter
While the community mourned those lost, the alleged gunman is scheduled to hear the allegations at a hearing on Thursday.
It is unclear whether Alissa will be present, as a court document shows that he has the right to personally withdraw from his appearance. He will be made aware of the charges he is facing, his rights and the next court date in his case, according to the statement.
“This performance is expected to be the first appearance in a likely lengthy lawsuit,” the statement said. The hearing will be publicly available online.
Investigators are working to uncover a possible motive for the shooting, which has raised questions about the location, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Alissa lives about 30 minutes from the store and there are other supermarkets closer to his home.
The FBI is reviewing Alissa’s online activities and conducting interviews with friends and family members, a law enforcement official told CNN, adding that Alissa had not previously been the subject of an FBI investigation and it appears that nothing in the federal system would have banned him from using a firearm. .
Two store employees are remembered
She shared her favorite memory of Stong, a close friend of four years old whom she texted an hour before the attack.
“Last year, on my birthday, he was one of the few people who gave me a birthday present that made me feel very special,” Porter told Burnett. “He really liked aviation and stuff, so he brought his RC with him [radio controlled] plane and he checked it over the pond and just did some really cool tricks with it. We were all laughing and having a great time. “
Porter said Stong was dedicated to his job at the supermarket and dreamed of becoming a pilot.
“He was really passionate. Denny had a work ethic like no other I’ve ever met,” said Porter. “It’s not the most interesting job, but he was looking forward to it. I’ve never heard him complain about being late for work or anything. He just really did what he could and had no complaints.”
The uncle of 25-year-old store manager Rikki Olds, a victim of Monday’s shooting, spoke at a press conference on Wednesday about her personality.
“Rikki was kind of the light of our family,” said Robert Olds. “When Rikki arrived at the house, we never knew what color her hair would be, we never knew what new tattoos she would have.
“But that was Rikki, and Rikki was living by Rikki’s terms – not anyone else’s.”
Olds also said that “she had dreams, she had ambitions,” praising her as “a strong, independent young woman.” She planned to become a nurse, he said, but her focus turned to becoming a store manager at King Soopers.
Olds said the outpouring of support was “overwhelming,” adding, “It just goes to show how many lives Rikki has touched,” he said.
“She snorted when she laughed loudly and I will really miss her,” he said. “I will really miss her personality.”
CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz, Evan Perez, Konstantin Toropin, Jennifer Feldman, Amanda Jackson, Keith Allen and Amir Vera contributed to this report.