Two local Texas tech affiliated businesses are looking for ways to back the blue.     “All of our student leadership came together and said ‘Guys what are we going we have to do something’,” said Red Raider Outfitter’s Buyer Katie Hartman.
    The death of Officer Floyd East Jr. has inspired multiple local businesses to give back. The Matador and the Red Raider Outfitter had stacks of shirts in display and customers filing in to buy them. 
    “We were really able to look at everything and find a way to give something back to this family that’s lost so much. I mean they’ve lost everything. So we talked again and our goal is to reach 100,000 dollars for this family.”
    Even though, the merchandise came in early Thursday morning, they’ve already seen multiple people coming in looking to give back. “They’ve been flying online. And we have filled over 100 orders today and we expect more to come through tonight and tomorrow,” said The Matador’s General Manager, Taelor Norrell. 
    The first goal is to bring the community together and give a sense of comfort to those on cmapus. The second goal is to show law enforcement nation wide to feel support from Texas and Texas Tech after the tragedy.
    “And that’s just something that we’ve been honored enough to work towards in really meeting these other two goals in supporting the community and supporting the campus,” said Hartman.
    They hope that this way, they can bring the community together and mourn a lost member of the Red Raider family.    
    “He was a red raider, we’re all red raiders. And it hurts us all during a time like this.”  
    You can order these items online or buy in store at the Matador and the Red Raider Outfitter. The businesses will be selling the items for as long as people keep buying them. All the proceeds will be going towards Officer East’s family.