CU dedicates tree to victims of King Soopers shooting

» One by one, each person picked up a shovel. When it was their turn, they bent over, scooped up dirt and gently buried 10 packages of seeds beneath the earth.

Written on each package of wildflowers were the names of every victim killed last year during the mass shooting at King Soopers in south Boulder.

The seeds were buried by the family members and friends of the victims on Thursday at Farrand Field. Soon, they will root and grow adjacent to a tree recently planted to memorialize Boulder Officer Eric Talley, Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Teri Leiker, 51; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65, who were killed in the shooting.

“Planting this tree cannot bind the wounds that were inflicted on our community almost a year ago, but it can serve as a memorial — a reminder of what we lost,” said Juniper Loomis, a student at the University of Colorado and former King Soopers employee.

Loomis said she met Stong and Olds when she started working at the Table Mesa King Soopers in November 2020.

Sarahdawn Haynes, outreach and engagement coordinator with the University of Colorado, said the university has had a tree committee for 11 years. She said after the shooting the committee discussed planting a tree in honor of all of the victims to show their support for the families and students. “We may not fully understand how it impacted our community, but it’s very significant,” Haynes said. “It will be a way for whoever comes to school here to know it’s a part of our history. It’s touched so many of our lives.”

The tree planted is a catalpa. In the winter it loses its leaves, but soon large heartshaped leaves will spring from it, said Stephanie Mayer, senior instructor of ecology and evolutionary biology. In May or June, the tree will produce flowers, which is later than many other trees, which will have lost their blossoms by then.

“This tree flowers when there aren’t other flowering trees out there,” Mayer said.

In honor of Leiker, who had a passion for the Golden Buffaloes Marching Band, the tree sits in view of where the band practices, Haynes said.

Vince Aquino, CU forestry supervisor, said the university is working to add a plaque in front of the tree that will list the victims’ names.

Cliff Grassmick, Daily Camera Tom Whittington, father of King Soopers victim Terry Leiker, adds dirt to the memorial tree on the University of Colorado campus.