BOULDER, Colo. — Recent violence against a group of Jewish individuals in Colorado is unfortunately not an isolated incident in Boulder. Just four years ago, the community experienced another tragic event at a King Soopers store where ten people, including a police officer, lost their lives in a shooting.
Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann shared her thoughts on how local leaders can address the growing concerns about safety and the fear of potential future violent acts within the community.
“A simple yet effective way to start addressing these issues is by watching the news, reaching out to your neighbors, and checking in on how they are coping,” Stolzmann suggested. “Building connections and engaging in conversations with others is crucial for healing and providing mutual support during challenging times.”
Following the King Soopers shooting, Boulder leaders passed a series of laws restricting access to guns to increase safety, but some have faced legal challenges. Then in April, Governor Polis signed Senate Bill 3 into law, which addressed major issues that state Democrats said were revealed by the King Soopers shooting.
Sunday’s attack, though, didn’t involve a gun. It involved a man, with an expired visa, who perpetrated an antisemitic attack by setting fire to a group of people spreading peaceful awareness.
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After an email from a viewer saying Boulder’s policies on immigration made the community unsafe, Denver7 asked the commissioner if she thought the county’s stance on migration opens the door to the possibility of increased violent acts. She said the question was divisive. When pushed for an answer, though, she quickly denounced antisemitism and bigotry and said this.
“It really should be a bipartisan effort to address the broken immigration system. But we will not fight hate with hate,” Stolzmann said. “You fight hate with love. You fight hate with kindness, with community members, connecting with people feeling part of something, not othered or pushed aside based on the country they come from, or their religion or creator culture.”
On Friday, the County Commissioners released a letter responding to the Trump Administration’s list designating the county as a sanctuary jurisdiction.
In the letter, commissioners said Boulder County “follows federal immigration law” and is “proud of that moniker.”
After a response from the National Sheriff’s Association, the Department of Homeland Security took that list down.
