The mass shooting at the Pratt warehouse in Aurora five years ago this month is being remembered by the Aurora Historical Society with a display that opened Friday at its facility in the city’s downtown.
On Feb. 15, 2019, a disgruntled employee at Henry Pratt killed five employees and wounded five police officers and an employee.
The Historical Society’s display includes the five wooden crosses made by the late Greg Zanis of Aurora to honor the five people killed in the mass shooting – Russell Beyer, Vicente Juarez, Clayton Parks, Josh Pinkard and Trevor Wehner.
The exhibit also includes the society’s collection of memorabilia left at the Pratt site by mourners.
The annual exhibit at the Aurora Historical Society facility inside the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place, will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 14 to 16 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 17.
Aurora Historical Society Executive Director John Jaros called the mass shooting five years ago “hard to believe.”
“This was arguably one of the worst days in Aurora. To me, this is still hard to believe even though you see it happening all over the country on the news,” Jaros said of mass shootings. “You always think it won’t happen in your community. We’re now part of the brethren that have experienced this even though it’s been so omnipresent in this country.”
Jaros said as a result of a mass shooting “a community loses a bit of its innocence.”
“Aurora – as everybody else does – goes with the ‘Boston Strong’ or ‘Aurora Strong’ idea and you just try to rally around the victims’ families and law enforcement and the first responders, and I guess that’s what we did,” Jaros said.
Unpacking the crosses for the display each year, Jaros said, is “something that we hate to do because it brings up such memories and feelings for me and everyone else, especially the families.”
“For me, it’s something that’s important to remember. We certainly don’t want to forget. As time goes by, like everything else, people won’t remember as much,” he said. “The family members always will and it’s important for the ones that are still in the area that they have something to come to and witness and have a memorial site as well.”
Mary Clark Ormond, former Aurora Historical Society board president, said “even after five years” the memories of the tragic event are strong.
“I do continue to be moved by the loss and the senselessness and the sorrow of such a situation,” Ormond said. “I think about other shootings and there are some things we can’t handle very well as human beings. I’m so happy the city has remained so dedicated as well as the Historical Society who I’m sure is going to continue to remember this event and those who lost their lives.”
Perry Slade of Aurora visited the display on Friday and said the tragedy “is almost as fresh as when it happened.”
“The thing that keeps it that way is that it seems to be more typical in our society and this kind of thing happening and how arms are out of control,” Perry said.
He said he is “glad to see there is continual recognition – a memorial, if you will.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
