Collierville Kroger announces reopening date after slaying
A Kroger grocery store in Collierville, closed since late September when a gunman opened fire in the store, is expected to reopen Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m., Kroger spokesperson Teresa Dickerson said in a press conference Friday.
The store has been closed for six weeks and has been under construction with renovations to give the store an updated look and feel.
“We just appreciate all the customers and this community for being patient with us as we work to rebuild and to heal together,” Dickerson said.
On Sept. 23, the Kroger at New Byhalia Road and Poplar Avenue in Collierville was the scene of a mass shooting. The shooter worked as a third-party vendor of a sushi counter inside the Kroger and had been fired from his post.
That afternoon, he entered the store and began shooting, injuring 15 and killing one, Olivia King. The shooter also died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police have said.
Police said the shooter legally obtained three guns brought to the scene and he had no criminal record.
When the shooting began, workers hid in freezers and hunkered down in locked offices. One Kroger employee was rescued from the roof. Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane described the event as “the most horrific event that’s occurred in Collierville history.”
Although it’s unclear what additional measures will be in place when the store reopens, Dickerson said security will be present at the Kroger moving forward.
She also expressed gratitude to Collierville police and Lane, who was at Friday’s press conference announcing the opening date.
“A lot of times, these are meant to draw fear here and division in the community, and I’m so thankful here we’ve seen the opposite, that we saw the worst of humanity and seeing absolute best,” Lane said about the slogan “Collierville Strong.”
“This is one of the most resilient communities in America, and (the reopening) is a prime example of that.”
To those cautious of returning to the neighborhood grocer, his message is simple: “Don’t live in fear.”
One week ago, Kroger opened its Collierville Associate Resource Center with counseling services available to employees and community members who have been affected by the shooting.