Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one charge of attempted murder.
Trigger warning: This story contains themes of gun violence that some readers may find distressing.
The authorities have identified Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa as the shooter who opened fire and killed 10 people at a King Soopers grocery store in Colorado. Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold released the name of the 21-year-old suspect at a press conference on Tuesday. Alissa was arrested at the scene of the shooting and is currently in police custody. Herold didn't reveal if they had ascertained a motive for the gruesome shooting. The Boulder Police said Alissa was the only person involved in the shooting. According to CNN, Alissa had used an AR-15-style pistol modified with an arm brace. He was also reportedly wearing a "tactical" or "armored" vest. Authorities also confirmed they found other weapons during a search of his home.
Alissa, who is a resident of Arvada, between Boulder and Denver, has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one charge of attempted murder, as per his arrest warrant. He had removed all his clothing but his shorts when he was arrested. One of his legs was covered in blood at the time of the arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. After accessing the law enforcement database, it was found that Alissa had purchased a Ruger AR556 pistol on March 16.
Alissa's family emigrated from Syria, and he's been living in the United States for most of his life. His brother, Ali Aliwi Alissa, said the shooter had turned into an "anti-social" after he was bullied at school over his name and for being Muslim. Ali said his brother was "paranoid" and may have been suffering from mental illness. Alissa believed people were following him and even posted on Facebook that he suspected his former high school of hacking into his phone. "He always suspected someone was behind him, someone was chasing him," said Ali. "We kept a close eye on him when he was in high school." The shooter wasn't very political or particularly religious, said his brother. "I never ever would have thought he would do such a thing. I never thought he would kill. I still can't believe it. I am really sad for the lives that he wasted, and I feel sorry for all those families. ... We lost a brother even if he is the killer," said Ali.
We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 23, 2021
We can close loopholes in our gun background check system.
This is not a partisan issue — it’s an American issue that will save lives. Congress needs to act.
Joe Biden urges Senate to ban assault weapons
President Joe Biden called for a nationwide ban on assault weapons, in the wake of two deadly shootings that killed a total of 18 people over the past week, reported The Huffington Post. “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again,” said Biden, referring to the 1994 Crime Bill that included a ban on assault-style weapons for civilians. However, the provision expired in 2004. The President called on Congress to take action. “The United States Senate ― I hope some are listening ― should immediately pass the two House bills that close loopholes in the background check system,” said Biden. “These are bills that received votes from both Democrats and Republicans in the House. This should not be a partisan issue.”
References:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/23/us/boulder-colorado-shooting-suspect/index.html
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biden-assault-weapon-ban_n_605a1fc2c5b6cebf58d2571d
Cover image credit: Getty Images | Photo by Chet Strange, Inset photo by Boulder Police Department via Getty Images
