Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone broke down during an emotional pregame press conference on Monday in Boulder, Colorado, acknowledging the victims of the supermarket shooting.
“It seems that we have been here before,” he said.
On Monday, Ahmed Al Alwi Alyssa allegedly walked into a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder and killed 10 people. The 21-year-old is being held in 10 counts of first-degree murder of Syrian descent.
“Yesterday was another tragedy,” Malone said. “Hopefully, there is something that we can find a way to prevent this from happening in the future. I think I speak for everyone on our team, our travel party, our thoughts and prayers – which is never enough – but our thoughts and prayers are with the Boulder community and all the families of the 10 innocent people whose tomorrow Was murdered. “
The former Knicks assistant coach named each person killed in the attack.
“Rikki Olds, Denny Strong, Neven Stanisic, Tralona Bartowiak, Suzanne Fountain, Terry Leaker, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters, and police officer Eric Talley, who, uh …” said Malone, his voice audible. The form is falling apart. “… father of seven children.”
The 49-year-old coach, a Queens native and father of two, took a moment to gather himself before finishing.
“So we keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”
After the shooting at a nearby charter school in May 2019, “some very changes” occurred before Malone has spoken out on Denver-area gun violence.
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