The city of Aurora offered a remembrance event at City Hall on Sunday to honor the victims of the mass shooting seven years ago at the Henry Pratt Co. facility in the city.
On Feb. 15, 2019, five Henry Pratt employees were killed after a disgruntled co-worker opened fire during a termination meeting inside the company’s warehouse.
The gunman later died after a confrontation and shootout with police.
In addition to those killed, five Aurora police officers and a Pratt employee were wounded during the mass shooting in 2019.
The five victims of the mass shooting – Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton Parks, Josh Pinkard and Trevor Wehner – were honored during the ceremony on Sunday that included city officials as well as family members of the victims.
Shannon Cameron, chief of staff for the city of Aurora, said Sunday’s event was about “honoring those victims and saying their names – just calling attention to that remembrance and not forgetting them.”
“Also, we want to speak to the response – our APD and AFD were a huge part of that but it was a mutual aid program spanning more than just Aurora,” she said. “We are honoring their response and the trauma that was felt by those responding. Our interest is not to retraumatize people but keep a simple memorial. This really was a time when Aurora came together to support the victims’ families.”
More than 100 people attended the event Sunday including family members of the victims.
Leo Deleon of Aurora and his wife Maria, the sister of Vicente Juarez, one of those killed during the mass shooting, were at City Hall for the remembrance event.
“Vicente was my brother-in-law and it’s been very hard on my wife, especially, as she is the youngest of the family and it hit her very hard,” Leo Deleon said. “Remembering this every year does kind of open wounds but these people here – they remember, and it’s very important.”
Abby Parks, widow of Clayton Parks, offered remarks at the podium as she stood with their son Axel during a public comment session that followed remarks from Mayor John Laesch.
“Every year I think I say I’m not going to speak and this sweet little voice next to me says to say something about Dad, so I do,” she said of her son. “This day carries a lot, but I know that we’re not doing it alone. I’m reminded of that every year when I come here and when I talk with people in this community – police, firefighters that were there and risked their lives that day. I’m here with a community that has helped to lift me up.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
