March 22, 2021
Dear students, faculty and staff,
As many of you know by now, a shooting that began unfolding at the King Soopers grocery store this afternoon at Table Mesa and Broadway has shattered the quiet of the surrounding Boulder area and our campus community.
As I write this message, officers from the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department (CUPD) are working with their partners in the Boulder Police Department (BPD) and other regional law enforcement agencies to gather as many details as possible about the scope of what has been a very volatile situation.
Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives, their families and the many others directly impacted by this devastating act of violence in our own backyard. We know that many of our students, faculty and staff reside in the Table Mesa neighborhood and often shop at that King Soopers store. Campus leaders and support staff will monitor this evolving situation closely with the hope that all members of our community emerge safely from this situation. We do not know yet whether any members of our community were harmed in the incident and we will provide additional information as we can.
For members of our campus community who were impacted by what happened today––or who are experiencing anxiety, stress and grief related to the shootings in the Atlanta area and other acts of violence around the country in recent weeks––please seek support from campus resources.
Campus resources include the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA), which offers 24/7 phone support for students, faculty and staff; Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), which offers 24/7 phone support for students; and the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP).
In times like these, many of us want to find ways to help. However, we encourage all members of the university community to avoid the area while law enforcement authorities respond and conduct a full investigation, which could take several days. Please also try to avoid sharing unconfirmed information until we learn more from CUPD, BPD and other official sources of information.
For now, check in with your colleagues and classmates. As difficult as the past year has been for us on multiple fronts, now, more than ever, is the time to show empathy and to provide support to our neighbors, friends and family who may also be struggling with news like this.
It is important for us to pull together as a community and to care for one another as we await more information from local authorities. Classes will take place on Tuesday, but we encourage faculty and supervisors to be flexible if students, faculty and staff need to miss classes or work to cope with the impacts of this horrifying ordeal.
Please stay safe,
Phil
For updates and more information, please follow the Boulder Police department @boulderpolice on Twitter and the BPD newsroom.
