Memorial Tiles Pay Tribute to Employees Murdered at Zumiez

The store where a 19-year-old gunned down two employees before killing himself at The Mall in Columbia has reopened, and the victims are remembered in a subtle tribute as visitors enter the shop.

"After consulting with our employees and the victims' families, we decided to completely remodel and reopen the store," according to a statement from Zumiez,  the surf and skate shop on the second level of the Columbia mall where the Jan. 25 shootings occurred.

"The remodeled store quietly recognizes Brianna and Tyler with two simple tiles that bear their initials: 'B' and 'T,'" the statement said.

The "T" for Tyler Johnson , 25, was placed outside the store. The tile for Brianna Benlolo, 21, was inside the store.

"We all continue to keep the victims and their families in our hearts and, together, remember and honor them in many ways," Zumiez said in the statement. "The tremendous love and support for all those impacted is incredibly powerful. Indeed, people continue to make contributions to the two memorial funds established in honor of Tyler and Brianna."

The Brianna Benlolo Memorial Fund will provide support for her son, who is a toddler, while the Tyler Johnson Memorial Fund will go to the Community Foundation of Howard County, according to Zumiez.

Police said that the motive of the shooter, Darion Aguilar, 19, was unknown but that "it seems to investigators that his actions were driven by a fixation on violence and mass murder," according to Sherry Llewellyn, spokeswoman for the Howard County Police Department.


Related:

• Zumiez Reopens at The Mall in Columbia
• Zumiez at The Mall in Columbia Reopening This Spring
• Police Chief on Columbia Mall Shooting: 'Nobody Saw This Coming'
• HoCo Budgeting for Mental Health After Mall Shootings
• Police Show Timeline, Photos Chronicling Columbia Mall Shootings
• 3 Dead in Columbia Mall Shootings
• Columbia Mall Zumiez Employee: 'She was One of the Nicest People I've Ever Met'
• How to Donate to Columbia Mall Shooting Victims