Boulder Star lit for 10 days to commemorate shooting victims

Officials in Boulder, Colo., announced that the Boulder Star on Flagstaff Mountain will be lit for 10 days to commemorate the 10 people killed in Monday’s grocery store shooting.

“As we mourn yesterday’s tragic loss of life, the @BoulderChamber will light the Boulder Star for 10 days in honor of each victim and to demonstrate a shared commitment to support their families,” the City of Boulder Twitter account wrote Tuesday.

As we mourn yesterday’s tragic loss of life, the @BoulderChamber will light the Boulder Star for 10 days in honor of each victim and to demonstrate a shared commitment to support their families. : @downtownboulder pic.twitter.com/bzSLZcIwhM

— City of Boulder (@bouldercolorado) March 23, 2021

When the star was lit on Monday, Boulder Mayor Sam Weaver tweeted, “Please take a moment and look to the star in hope of a future in which these horrific events are a distant memory. And let us commit to making such a future a reality.”

The Boulder Star will be lit tonight in memory of the ten victims of today’s tragic shooting. Please take a moment and look to the star in hope of a future in which these horrific events are a distant memory. And let us commit to making such a future a reality.

— Sam Weaver (@sampweaver) March 22, 2021

As the Denver Post notes, the star is usually only used to commemorate holidays and was last used on Jan. 10.

On Monday, a gunman shot and killed 10 people at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, including one police officer. The suspect, 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, has been arrested and charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder. A motive for his attack has not been shared by authorities.

“Tonight, as we mourn for the victims of today’s senseless acts, we light the Boulder Star in their honor and in our shared commitment as a community to the support for their families,” the Boulder Chamber wrote on Monday, adding that the star would also honor the first responders who arrived at the scene on Monday.

The Flagstaff star’s been turned back on in Boulder tonight, hours after 10 people were shot to death at a grocery store. (Photo via r/boulder: https://t.co/WBT2NSj1R7) pic.twitter.com/zZXOFhDwyA

— Matt Sebastian (@mattsebastian) March 23, 2021

On Wednesday, Weaver shared on Twitter that President Biden had called him earlier that day, writing that Biden “was clearly pained by our losses, and offered any resources we need.”

I just received a call from @POTUS extending his condolences and support to the Boulder community as we begin our healing. The President was clearly pained by our losses, and offered any resources we need. I thanked him sincerely on behalf of everyone in Boulder. @bouldercolorado

— Sam Weaver (@sampweaver) March 24, 2021