Sergeant Timothy Michael Mossbrucker

It was like any other day. We had a field trip to the local roller-skating arena. I was in the sixth grade.

On the way there, we heard there was a shooting at the Albertson’s grocery store in our neighborhood. I was sad to hear about it, but I carried on with my day.

When I got back to the school, my dad called me to say my mom wouldn’t be picking me up from school as usual. She was at the grocery store at the time of the shooting. In that first moment, my heart sank. He then told me she’s fine, but she’s still at the scene to answer questions etc.

She suffered PTSD in the weeks and months that followed as she was extremely close in proximity to the people who were shot to death.

I remember the name Mossbrucker as the name of the police man who arrived at the scene but never got out of his patrol car. Today, so many years later, I came across the name of a teacher at the local elementary school with the same last name.

I assume it is his daughter. Then I suddenly had the memories of that day flood back to me. Our lives carried, but I can’t imagine how changed the family of this officer became. Now I’m a mother of 3 small children, and I can’t imagine the pain his expectant wife had to bear with so many children to care for alone.

I wanted to take a moment to let whoever reads this now how thankful I was that my mother came home safely that day, and that I still pray for this family and their sacrifice.

God Bless.

Suraiya Syed
Daughter of eye witness

August 28, 2019