‘He will be truly missed’: Family, friends remember Instacart worker shot in Richland
KENNEWICK, Wash. – Justin Krumbah would give cookies to cashiers, check in on his neighbors and spread cheer at the Richland Fred Meyer.
About 300 people gathered in Howard Amon Park Thursday afternoon to share memories of the Instacart worker who was killed Monday morning inside the store.
They also offered prayers for Mark Hill, a Fred Meyer employee who was shot and seriously wounded.
Justin often spent time in the store waiting for online orders to fill for Instacart customers, and was there when Aaron C. Kelly, 39, walked in on Monday morning.
Kelly is accused of pulling out a handgun and shooting Krumbah several times shortly after 11 a.m.
“I am so grateful that I have this family,” Krumbah’s sister, Krista, said through tears at Thursday’s memorial. “I love this support. It’s so appreciated.” She was a Fred Meyer employee.
Krista told the crowd that people have been sharing stories of Justin coming up to them and introducing himself and saying his sister worked in the store.
About a dozen speakers shared their memories, saying Krumbah routinely went out of his way to help people. That included putting away returned items, helping customers or just trying to cheer people up.
Speakers described him as a ray of light who made working in retail easier.
“During all of the craziness of dealing with COVID and people being agitated, he just brought such a warmth and light,” one Fred Meyer employee said.
He took that friendliness home with him as well. His neighbor Seth Glossen said Krumbah, who also was a mechanic, would show up to help with car issues or whatever he needed help with.
They also spent Sundays watching Seahawks football games together.
“We love him very, very much,” Glossen said. “He will surely be missed. He was always there to help people. Instacart was really awesome and really beneficial for him because he loved getting those good reviews and meeting people and just loved everybody.”
Destiny Underwood, the event’s organizer, read a post from Justin’s Facebook page, that suggested that simple kindnesses like a smile, a hug or a long talk could really help people.
“That’s Justin to a T,” she said. “Justin … touched all of us. He will be truly missed among all of us.”
By Thursday night, a GoFundMe account set up to help his family, including to pay for his funeral, had raised nearly $102,000. Instacart had contributed $50,000, as well as a year of free groceries and access to mental health support for Krumbah’s mother and his five siblings.