In addition to offering services and resources, BCPH and Boulder County will continue to support policy initiatives on firearms safety.

Boulder County Public Health and the Boulder County Commissioners join our resilient Boulder community in grieving the 10 lives tragically lost on March 22.

The horrific attack on our fellow community members and fallen peace officer Eric Talley (who was memorialized today in Lafayette, Colo.) has been devastating for us all, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic through which we have already faced life-threatening illness, isolation, and loss of life. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and our entire Boulder community.

Our thanks and appreciation to first responders and essential workers

We want to affirm and reiterate our thanks to all first responders and essential frontline workers in Boulder County for their commitment to the safety of our residents.

Our Sheriff’s Office, Coroner’s Office, the Boulder Office of Emergency Management, and the Boulder District Attorney, have all played a major role in honoring the lost members of our society and providing public safety, criminal justice, communications, and investigative services to the community at-large and the victims’ families.

We also want to extend our support to our municipal partners, the Boulder Police Department, Boulder Fire Rescue, and the City of Boulder, who were on the front lines of this response. They were aided, immeasurably, by first responders from many areas of our county and the metro area – and we are grateful to them as well. The same is true for the many non-profits providing mental health support and tangible services to those grieving or suffering in the aftermath of the mass shooting.

The Victim Assistance Center

Similarly, our Housing & Human Services, Community Services, Boulder OEM emergency support personnel, and District Attorney's staff have been working continuously behind the scenes to set up a Victim Assistance Center (VAC) with the help of numerous non-profit partners (American Red Cross, BOCOVAD, Medical Reserve Corps, Mental Health Partners, Salvation Army, Veterans Affairs, VIA, and others).

The VAC– among other services – is providing on-site behavioral health support (with access to long term support avenues), comforting survivors of the attack, consoling loved ones of those lost, coordinating with the FBI and local enforcement on returning personal belongings to families, and providing victim advocate services.

Additionally, King Soopers staff is on-site to offer Human Resources and other support to employees and the community.

Now, more than ever, we all need to support one another.

We know that many community members are struggling with fear, trauma, and grief. Many community members have connections to the victims. We want you to know that help is available – and will be available in the coming months – because we all process trauma and grief in different ways. You can find a list of resources on this Boulder County webpage and BCPH’s social media. People can also call the Boulder County Call Center at 720-776-0822 to be connected to resources.

In addition to these services and resources, BCPH and Boulder County will continue to support policy initiatives on firearms safety with the support of our Boulder state legislative delegation. Such proposals would include, for example: safe storage of firearms; reporting of lost or stolen firearms; increased mental health services; a ban on assault-style weapons; and the ability of local governments to enact stronger firearms safety ordinances than State of Colorado laws.

As we move forward, let’s do it with patience and compassion for each other and continued commitment to strengthening the health of our community.

In health,

Jeff Zayach, Executive Director, Boulder County Public Health

Matt Jones, Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin
Boulder County Commissioners