Boulder mass shooting suspect appears in court in wheelchair days after King Soopers massacre

Nelson Oliveira, New York Daily News
·3 min read

The man charged with killing 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket was brought into court in a wheelchair Thursday for his first hearing in the case.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, who was wounded in the leg during a shootout with police, wore a purple hospital gown and a white face mask and spoke only to confirm he understood the charges against him. A public defender assigned to represent him asked the court for a continuance of 60 to 90 days so the “nature and depth” of the suspect’s mental health can be determined.

“Our position is we cannot do anything until we are able to fully assess Mr. Alissa’s mental illness,” defense attorney Kathryn Herold told the court, adding that she is still waiting for evidence from investigators.

In the meantime, Judge Thomas Mulvahill ordered that the accused shooter will await the outcome of the case in jail without bond.

The 21-year-old suspect is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. Prosecutors told the judge they expect to file additional charges against him as the investigation continues, but they did not give details. Alissa did not enter a plea Thursday.

A motive in the horrific, broad-daylight rampage at the King Soopers market in Boulder remains unclear.

Authorities said the Syria-born suspect opened fire inside the supermarket Monday afternoon with an assault-style firearm he had bought just days earlier. Besides the weapon, which resembles an AR-15 rifle, cops also found a handgun and a green tactical vest inside the store.

In an interview with the Daily Beast, Alissa’s brother described the alleged killer as anti-social and paranoid.

“The guy used to get bullied a lot in high school. He was like an outgoing kid but after he went to high school and got bullied a lot, he started becoming anti-social,” Ali Alissa told the outlet.

Among the victims from the gunman’s senseless massacre was police Officer Eric Talley, a father of seven who was shot in the head after arriving at the scene. As a way to honor Talley’s memory and heroic actions, the Boulder Police Department used his handcuffs to restrain Alissa when he was formally charged.

“It was our distinct honor to use Officer Talley’s handcuffs to formally process him into the jail,” the agency said in a tweet Thursday. “Though this was a small gesture, we hope it is the start of the healing process that so many of us need at this time.”

The other victims have been identified as 20-year-old Denny Stong; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty has vowed to hold the suspect accountable for the killings.

“This is a tragedy and a nightmare for Boulder County,” he said earlier this week. “These were people going about their day, doing their shopping. I promise the victims and the people of the state of Colorado that we will secure justice.”

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