Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone broke down at a news conference as he read the names of the Boulder shooting victims

• Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone cried as he read the names of the Boulder shooting victims.
• 10 people were killed on Monday at a grocery store when a gunman opened fire.
• "Hopefully we as a country, we as a state, can find a way to be better," said Malone.

Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone broke down in tears as he read the names of the victims of Monday's mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado during a media session on Tuesday.

10 people were killed on Monday afternoon at a grocery store in Boulder when a gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle. 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa has been charged with carrying out the shooting.

Speaking before the Nuggets played the Orlando Magic Tuesday night, Malone turned his attention to the events in the team's home state on Monday.

"It seems like we've been here before, but before we get in to tonight's game and to basketball, I think it's really important that we turn our attention to where it should be, and that's back in Boulder," said Malone.

"Obviously, yesterday was another tragedy, something that hopefully we can find a way to prevent happening in the future.

"And I think I speak for everyone on our team, our travel party, that our thoughts and prayers, which is never enough, but our thoughts and prayers are definitely with the Boulder community and all the families of the 10 innocent people that were murdered yesterday."

Malone then read aloud the names of those killed - Denny Stong, Neven Stanisic, Rikki Olds, Tralona Bartkowiak, Suzanne Fountain, Teri Leiker, Kevin Mahoney, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters and Eric Talley.

The Nuggets coach cried as he read off the name of Talley, a Boulder police officer, who was a father of seven.

"I think we are all tired of it. That's an understatement," Malone continued, still struggling to hold back his emotion. "I know from me, you get so caught up in the job and basketball.

"We get judged on wins and losses, but if you take a step back and you put yourself in one of those families' [shoes], what do you feel?

"This is the game I love and have a passion for, but I think about Eric Talley and his seven kids. That is what I think about. I'm just heartbroken for them and everybody else. And hopefully we as a country, we as a state, can find a way to be better."

You can see Malone's powerful speech below:

Monday's mass shooting in Boulder was the seventh in the United States in as many days, and the 103rd in the US in 2021 so far.

On Tuesday March 16, eight people, including six Asian women, were killed when Robert Aaron Long, 21, stormed three spas with a gun in Atlanta, Georgia.

Five people were shot in a drive-by shooting while preparing for a vigil in Stockton, California on Wednesday March 17, though none had life threatening injuries.

Four people were taken to the hospital after a shooting in Gresham, Oregon on Thursday March 18, while there were three separate mass shootings in Houston, Dallas, and Philadelphia on Saturday March 20, which resulted in two deaths and 17 people being injured.