Massacre in Boulder: 3rd Workplace Violence Incident Involving Kroger Supermarkets

Yesterday's massacre at the Kroger-owned "King Soopers" market in Boulder where 10 people were shot dead is the third episode of deadly workplace violence involving that organization since 2016.

The March 22, 2021 tragedy in Boulder is workplace violence as it occurred in a location where Americans were working: A large, popular supermarket.

Half of the 10 innocents killed during the mass shooting died while engaged in the course and scope of their employment. Three were directly employed by the store, two others were employed by other organizations.

Rikki Olds, 25, had been employed by the market for approximately seven years when shots rang out yesterday. At the time of her murder, Olds served as front end manager for the Boulder Kings Soopers.

A second woman, Teri Leiker, 51, was a thirty-year employee of the store at the time of her murder. She has been referred to as the most caring and innocent person you would ever want to meet by a friend.

Teri Leiker, Photo via Facebook

Denny Strong, 20, was the youngest person killed during the massacre. On his facebook page, Denny wrote words to the effect that he could not take off during the Covid-19 pandemic because he was a grocery store employee.

Denny Strong, via Facebook

Lynn Murray, 62, was employed by the home delivery service "Instacart." She was shot dead while filling a grocery order at Kings Soopers for a customer.

Lynn Murray, Photo courtesy of John Mackenzie

Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, 51. Officer Talley was shot dead in the line of duty while responding to reports of an active shooter at loose inside the Kings Soopers store.

Officer Eric Talley

It has been reported Officer Talley was the first law enforcement officer to enter the building, thereby distracting the shooter and likely saving many more lives.

A 21-year-old suspect who resided in the suburban Denver area has been charged with 10 counts of homicide.

March 17, 2021 Attack in Wisconsin

Just last week, two long term employees of a Kroger-owned distribution center located just outside Milwaukee, in a town called Oconomowoc, were shot dead by a co-worker.

The killer took off after committing the double murder. Several hours later, he committed suicide before he could be apprehended.

Both victims - Kevin Kloth, 51, and Kevin W Schneider, 39 - had worked for the company for more than 20 years. Their killer had been employed as a janitor at the same facility.

February 2016 Attack in Wisconsin

On February 2, 2016, Caroline Nosal, beloved daughter of Workplace Violence Prevention Institute think tank member Jane Brady Nosal, was shot dead by a male co-worker after she filed a complaint about him at a Kroger-owned supermarket located in Madison, Wisconsin.

Caroline Nosal and her mother, WVPI think tank member Jane Brady Nosal

Caroline's murderer confronted her in the parking lot of the "Metro Market" as she walked to her car following her shift at work.

Caroline's killer shot Caroline at point blank range, took off, and then shot at a responding officer the following morning before he was captured.

"Four Mothers"

Today, 10 more mothers join the "club" no one wants to belong to following yesterday's tragedy in Colorado.

Pictured below: WVPI founder Kathleen M. Bonczyk with four mothers who lost children to workplace violence-related incidents. This photograph was taken at a 2018 WVPI workplace and school violence prevention event in Orlando (see video below).

Pictured above: Kathleen M. Bonczyk, Angela Suttner (mother of the late Kenny Sutter, 17), Karen Bischoff Rea (mother of the late Ryan Birse, 22), Jean Lampman Jones (mother of Jodi Jones, 31), and Jane Brady Nosal (mother of the late Caroline Nosal, 24).

Prevention is the only solution to the growing epidemic that is workplace violence.

https://www.newsweek.com/who-ahmad-alissa-21-year-old-suspect-boulder-shooting-stable-after-sustaining-injury-1578119