Opening statements are set to begin on Thursday in the trial of a mentally unstable individual who carried out a shooting spree at a Colorado supermarket in 2021, resulting in the deaths of 10 people. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa targeted individuals in motion both inside and outside the store in Boulder, with most fatalities occurring in a span of just over a minute. Alissa’s defense does not refute his role as the shooter. Diagnosed with schizophrenia post-event, he entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, sparking a trial focused on his mental state at the time of the incident.
Facing 10 counts of first-degree murder, alongside other charges such as multiple attempted murders and possession of prohibited high-capacity ammunition magazines, Alissa’s sanity will be the central point of contention during the anticipated three-week trial. Prosecutors are tasked with demonstrating his cognitive ability to distinguish right from wrong during the shooting. Despite his admission of the crime, a motive for Alissa’s actions is yet to be disclosed.
During a competency hearing last year, a mental health evaluator disclosed that Alissa supposedly purchased firearms with the intent of executing a mass shooting, indicating a desire for law enforcement to end his life. The defense highlights Alissa’s irrational belief of being surveilled by the FBI and instances of him conversing with an absent individual as signs of his mental instability. Conversely, prosecutors challenge this claim by underscoring his lack of prior mental health treatment and ability to maintain a demanding work schedule preceding the tragedy.
Alissa’s trial faced delays due to his inability to grasp legal proceedings and cooperate with his defense team. Following improvements in his condition post-mandatory medication, the presiding Judge ruled him mentally fit in October, allowing the trial to progress.
