KGUN 9NewsLocal News

Actions

Father continues honoring son, victim, of January 8th shooting

Posted at 6:05 AM, Jan 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-08 13:45:41-05

TUCSON, Ariz. - Ross Zimmerman, the father of Gabe Zimmerman, who was killed during the January 8 shooting at a grocery store continues honoring his son's memory eight years later.

Gabe Zimmerman was the outreach coordinator for congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was also shot and injured during the shooting.

Every year the City of Tucson holds a bell-ringing ceremony to commemorate the victims. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild rings the bell 19 times in honor of the six people who died and 13 who were injured.

Eight years after the shooting Ross Zimmerman said he thinks about his son everyday and continues keeping his memory alive in several ways.

Zimmerman started an organization called Beyond, in honor of his son. The organization is meant to bring the community together and get them outside.

Gabe's memorial also lives on through a trail that was dedicated in his name. Former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords honored her former aid by hiking the trail named after him in 2012.

The annual commemoration of the shooting will be taking place on Jan 8 at Tucson Fire Central starting at 9:45 a.m. Mayor Rothschild will ring the bell at 10:10 a.m., which is the exact time the shooting happened in 2011.