Aurora – A day after a fatal shooting at Aurora Mall, some residents were still shaken by the tragedy, while others worried about the city’s image.
Mayor Ed Tauer said the shooting was an isolated incident and that the mall “is a terrific place, and it’s getting better with the new renovation.”
Still, the cautious reaction of the community could be seen and felt Wednesday morning in the quiet and empty hallways of the mall, which usually are filled with “the walkers” – retirees enjoying a morning stroll.
Alma Vallejo, a clerk at Samuels Jewelers in the mall, was nervous as she started her day – “I am scared now.”
Krystal D. Martinez was shot and killed and her boyfriend seriously injured when an altercation with two men turned deadly Tuesday evening.
Shopper Frank Perez said he was unfazed by the violence of the night before. “It can happen anywhere. It’s not going to stop me from coming in here.”
A lack of outdoor space and recreation centers has contributed to the mall’s becoming a haven for teens, said Bernard Celestin, member of the Aurora Human Relations Commission.
“There are just not enough places for the teenagers to hang out,” he said.
To deal with the teenage crowd, mall management has implemented several programs, including parent patrol groups, to help move young people along and decrease loitering.
Aurora native Will Bryant, 21, said he tries to avoid the mall because he thinks the teenagers are “annoying.”
Norma Nuñez, longtime owner of La Cueva Mexican restaurant on East Colfax Avenue, wants businesses to work together to deter crime.
“Every time something like this happens, it is really frustrating for us,” Nuñez said. “Unfortunately, crimes happen in Aurora, but they happen everywhere.”
