‘Multiple people’ killed in Boulder store shooting, police say

Residents in the city of Boulder, Colorado had been cautioned about an active shooter around the King Soopers store located at 3600 Table Mesa Drive by the Boulder Police Department, according to state media reports. Police now says that the shooter is in custody.

Boulder Police Department Commander Kerry Yamaguchi said “multiple people” were killed in the shooting, CNN reported.

“We had a very tragic incident today here at the King Soopers. During this trying time, I would ask the media and the public to honor the privacy of the officer’s family and his coworkers here at the police department,” he said.

At Least one police officer was killed in the shooting, CNN reported citing two law enforcement sources, adding that the weapon used in the shooting was an AR-15 style rifle.

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Press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted on Tuesday stating that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and “will be kept up to date by his team as there are additional developments.”

While a public information officer from the police department was rushed to the scene seeking details, the authorities made the announcement at 2:49 pm on Twitter, reported Denver Post.

The King Soopers, the area where citizen activity is assumed to be prohibited, surrounds sensitive areas like a high school and a prominent shopping center.

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Armored vehicles, at least six ambulances and dozens of personnel including at least one SWAT team attended the scene.

“Our SWAT team is on the way to assist,” tweeted the sheriff’s department of neighbouring Jefferson County.

Unverified early images appeared to show at least three wounded people lying prone on the ground both inside and immediately outside the store, as multiple gunshots rang out.

Authorities were also heard at some point speaking over a loudspeaker and calling out to the shooter, “you need to surrender.”

According to a live TV feed, a shirtless man with blood running down his leg was handcuffed and escorted out of the store. Later an ambulance pulled out of the area, allegedly carrying the shooter as reported by USA Today.

Later, shoppers who had been led safely out of the store sat wrapped in blankets, talking to emergency workers.

Authorities were also heard at some point speaking over a loudspeaker and calling out to the shooter, “you need to surrender.”

Colorado Governor Jared Polis also tweeted expressing grief over the incident.

The city of Boulder is located around 30 miles northwest of state capital Denver, on the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains.