The Aftermath: Road to Recovery

In the aftermath of the mass shooting that took place at the Table Mesa King Soopers last year, recovery has been tumultuous and transformative for the Boulder community. On March 22, 2021, a perpetrator shot and killed 10 people inside the store, and the mass violence uprooted the community. 

Jordyn Stapleton, a CU Boulder sophomore could hear the sirens from the emergency vehicles from her home down the street. Like a lot of young people who grew up surrounded by breaking news concerning shootings in schools, theaters and other public areas, she was no stranger to the heartbreak that ensued from this event. 

Stapleton attended a vigil a few days after she heard the news, and remembers feeling comforted at the sight of so many religious speakers and community members coming together amidst feelings of grief and hopelessness. She also attended a memorial with her roommate, where they leaned on each other for support.

“That was healing, too, because I could see that hundreds of people had left flowers there. It was really helpful to just see that other people were processing this, too,” she said.  

Stapleton felt heartened by her community’s efforts to support and rebuild the town that was unjustly shaken by the act of violence.

“I saw a lot of ‘Boulder Strong’ signs [around town]. I think people were just trying to not let others forget [the shooting] but also show that it didn’t destroy the community,” Stapleton said. “I want people to remember what happened and to remember that the community is really strong.”

Stapleton is studying music and psychology, and wants the community to know that it’s okay to have complicated emotions about the shooting, since there’s not one definite solution for managing those feelings.

Louis Saxton, a CU sophomore, was on his way out of the store when the shooting took place. He’s a cello performance major, and he navigated his feelings following the tragedy by returning to King Soopers 10 times to play music in memory of each victim. 

“I think music is one of those things where you can kind of express yourself without having to say words, which is powerful to me because at the time, [the shooting] was really hard and painful to talk about,” Saxton said. “Playing cello felt like something I could do to acknowledge it, but also help other people process feelings and figure out what the hell had just happened.” 

After growing up in a conservative rural town that didn’t prioritize mental health, Saxton said that Boulder has provided him with the resources he needed to aid his healing process. 

“Ever since moving to Boulder, I’ve found that CAPS is an excellent program. I felt so supported just having people to talk to,” Saxton said. 

Another individual who has seen the Boulder community pull itself into recovery is Samira Rajabi, who has a doctoral degree in Media Research and Practice and is an assistant professor in the Department of Media Studies at CU. 

Rajabi specializes in issues regarding digital media and trauma, and recognizes social networks as a significant piece in the puzzle of coping with feelings of shock and mourning. As digital media becomes increasingly present in the lives of many people, according to Rajabi, its effects become ever more sensitive. 

“The way we see something represented sets the boundaries for what we understand happened. If we’re not there, but we see things on social media that feel really real, that might be the angle that we then understand that event through,” Rajabi said. 

Rajabi stressed that careless footage and opinions that get uploaded to various platforms in combination with unifying discourse in urgent situations call for a higher level of conscious healing. She said that in addition to media that might harm one’s mental health, “There are things that are really constructive in terms of forming community and finding compassion and empathy. It’s important to step back and understand what this means for you.” 

Continuing to teach classes during this time required a shift in the way that Rajabi tackled her responsibilities. She wanted her students to realize the importance of acknowledging the weight of issues like the Boulder shooting, so she paused instruction and opened up her space to foster conversation around the tragedy. 

“I wanted to slow down so that my students would recognize that the space of my classroom is a community. Being a part of a community means adapting when something happens that affects all of us, but also adapting when something happens that affects some of us more than others,” Rajabi said. “My strongest suggestion is to find a community of support. Don’t think that it’s strange or wrong to feel afraid.” 

The King Soopers on Table Mesa reopened on Feb. 9. It was completely remodeled in alignment with input from employees and community members in order to foster recovery within the community. 

Joe Kelley, the president of King Soopers, said in a statement, “We know that restoring this location is a very important step in our healing journey, and that it signifies a tremendous milestone for all of us.” 

For those in need of counseling services, contact: 

CU Boulder’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services 

Center for Community, Suite N352

2249 Willard Loop Dr.

104 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309

303-492-2277 (24/7 support)