. It’s a different sort of hard when it’s a place of business, especially one as central to a community as Tops is to east Buffalo., Colorado, after a mass shooter killed 12 people there in 2012. That was one theater in a 16-screen suburban cineplex.
Tops President John Persons said Thursday that the company began hearing from customers, community members and civic leaders the day after the May 14 shooting. Almost immediately, the company started running a free shuttle from the neighborhood to other Tops stores. “The key to life is to get back to living,” said shopper Alan Hall, who lives two blocks away from the Jefferson Avenue store. “We’re happy that it’s open. It looks good. It’s well stocked. Of course, there’s still that undercurrent of grief, which will never leave. But it’s good to be back.”, one representing peace and harmony, another hospitality and generosity and a third, farewell and goodbye.
“I couldn’t really pass the threshold. At that point, it just was extremely overwhelming, very emotional,” Stanfield said. “But everyone was so supportive and they knew I needed a moment.”the shooting victims Part of the anger stems from a sense that not enough effort was made to seek enough voices from the community.