'My Heart Aches': Gov. Jared Polis Reacts To Deadly Shooting, Thanks First Responders
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- Gov. Jared Polis talked about Monday's deadly shooting in Boulder during a news conference on Tuesday morning. Polis lived in Boulder for much of his life and represented the community in Colorado's 2nd Congressional District before he was elected governor.
"I'm standing here, not just as governor but as someone who has called this community my home for most of my life and has shopped at that King Soopers on Table Mesa many times. You know, my heart aches today. For this senseless tragedy, this loss of life, as we hear those names, everybody, and Boulder County is a small community, and we're all looking over the list, do we know anybody?" said Polis. "None of them expected that this would be their last day here on this planet."
Polis also thanked the first responders, "I want to thank the Boulder Police Department, the first responders, so many police from agencies across the state came to the call at a time of need."
He also went on to discuss how survivors may not realize the amount of trauma they experienced until later, "Not only did we lose 10 lives, but this is all horror and terror for all of us. This simple act of shopping in a grocery store."
"As Governor, I offer my condolences to all those who suffered loss. But this is a loss for all of us. We mourn those who fell, as a state and as a nation. This has been a painful year. We are here again, surrounded by seemingly incomprehensible, senseless loss. This is a pain that we need to sit with and cannot let ourselves ever become numb to the pain because we simply cannot let this be accepted as a normal occurrence."
A total of 10 people had been killed inside the store including one person in a vehicle in the parking lot. They are: Denny Stong, 20, Neven Stanisic, 23, Rikki Olds, 25, Tralona Bartkowiak, 49, Suzanne Fountain, 59, Teri Leiker, 51, Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, 51, Kevin Mahoney, 61, Lynn Murray, 62, and Jody Waters, 65.
Shooting supsect Ahmad Al-Issa remains in police custody and is facing 10 counts of murder. There is no information about a possible motive at this time.