US POLICE have identified the 21-year-old suspect accused of killing 10 people – including a policeman – in a hail of bullets at a Colorado supermarket, marking the United States’ second mass shooting in a week.
The suspect, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa of Arvada, Colorado, stormed the King Soopers outlet in Boulder armed with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a handgun and wearing a tactical vest, all of which were recovered after Monday’s shooting, according to an arrest affidavit filed by police.
Law enforcement databases show Alissa purchased a Ruger AR-556 pistol, a weapon that resembles a semi-automatic rifle and has a 30-round capacity, on March 16, six days before the shooting.
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A woman is consoled after a shooting at the grocery store in Boulder. Photo: Reuters
A woman is consoled after a shooting at the grocery store in Boulder. Photo: Reuters
Alissa was released from a hospital, where he was treated for a leg wound suffered in an exchange of gunfire with responding police, and transported to county jail to await an initial court appearance on murder and other charges. His criminal history shows a single charge for third-degree assault in 2018.
Authorities said they were confident he acted alone, though they did not offer any details on what might have motivated him to open fire at the store, about 28 miles northwest of Denver.
“It would be premature for us to draw any conclusions at this time,” Michael Schneider, the agent in charge of the FBI’s field office in Denver, said at a news briefing.
The 10 victims range in age from 20 to 65 and include Eric Talley, an 11-year veteran of the Boulder police force. Talley, 51, was the father of seven children and had recently been looking for a less dangerous job, according to a statement released by his father.
Police identified the nine other victims as Denny Stong, 20; 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.
Monday’s attack, which began around 2.40pm, drew hundreds of police officers to the scene and sent terrified shoppers and employees fleeing for safety amid the sound of gunfire.
Colorado has been the site of some of the most shocking episodes of gun violence in US history, including the 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora and the 1999 rampage at Columbine High School near Littleton.
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Law enforcement officers in tactical gear are seen at the site of a shooting at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
Law enforcement officers in tactical gear are seen at the site of a shooting at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
The latest bloodshed came only six days after a gunman went on a killing spree on March 16 in the Atlanta area, fatally shooting eight people at three day spas before he was arrested.
“My heart aches today,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said yesterday. “Flags had barely been raised back to full-mast after the tragic shooting in Atlanta that claimed eight lives, and now a tragedy here close to home at a grocery store that could be any of our neighbourhood grocery stores.”
The two mass shootings are likely to intensify pressure on Democratic President Joe Biden to fulfill his campaign pledge to enact tougher gun limits. But legislation to ban assault-style weapons and tighten background checks have stalled amid Republican opposition in Congress.
“I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone another hour, to take common-sense steps that will save lives in the future,” Biden said at the White House on Tuesday. “This is not and should not be a partisan issue.”
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