Authorities said on Monday that a mass shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, killed 10 people, including one police officer.
According to Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold, a suspect has been arrested, but investigators have not revealed his name, the arms used, or any conceivable motive.
Eric Talley, 51, a member of the Boulder Police Department since 2010, was identified as the officer killed, according to Herold. Other victims’ names have not been revealed yet.
“This is a tragedy and a nightmare for Boulder county, and in response, we have cooperation and assistance from local, state and federal authorities,” the Boulder county district attorney, Michael Dougherty said.
About the murdered police officer, Talley, Dougherty said, that he was “by all accounts one of the outstanding officers of the Boulder police department, and his life was cut too short”.
The shooting occurred at about 3pm local time (21:00 GMT) at a King Soopers supermarket in the Table Mesa area of Boulder, a city at the eastern foot of the Rockies about 45 kilometres (28 miles) northwest of Denver.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as they heard gunfire ring out inside the supermarket.
“We were at the checkout, and shots just started going off,” said Sarah Moonshadow, 42, who was in the store with her son, Nicholas. “we just ran and hid behind the building.” The woman broke down in sobs, adding, “I couldn’t help anybody.”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis said on Twitter that his “heart is breaking as we watch this unspeakable event unfold in our Boulder community”.
He added, “My prayers are with our fellow Coloradans in this time of sadness and grief as we learn more about the extent of the tragedy.”
The FBI and agents of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting police and sheriff’s deputies in the investigation.
In a statement, the King Soopers chain have offered thoughts, prayers and support to their associates, customers, and the first responders who bravely responded to the tragic situation.
According to a data, the shooting is the seventh mass killing in the United States this year, and it comes after an eight-person shooting at three Atlanta-area spas on March 16.