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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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More Charges Filed Against Colorado Grocery Store Shooting Suspect

Already accusing of killing 10 people, the suspect now faces 105 new charges of attempted murder and violating the Centennial State's ban on high-capacity gun magazines.

(CN) --- Prosecutors filed additional charges on Tuesday against a Colorado man accused of killing 10 people at a Boulder grocery store in March.

On top of 10 charges of first-degree murder, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 22 of Arvada, now faces 105 charges for attempted murder against civilians and law enforcement, assault, violence and violating the state's large capacity magazine ban.

If convicted, each charge of attempted murder carries a sentence between 16 and 48 years in prison. Violation of the magazine ban carries a sentence of 6 to 18 years. Since the state repealed its death penalty last year, Alissa faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted on the murder charges.

In court on Tuesday, 20th Judicial District Chief Judge Ingrid Bakke set Alissa’s next hearing for Sept. 9. Bakke also said she expects the court will lift Covid-19 restrictions starting June 1, allowing for more of the public to attend subsequent hearings.

Prosecutors say Alissa opened fire on the King Soopers in the Table Mesa neighborhood of Boulder with an assault-style Ruger AR-556. He wore a green tactical vest and jeans. Officers arrived on the scene at 2:40 p.m.

The victims of the attack, aged 20 to 65 years old, included three King Soopers employees, several shoppers and a police officer.

Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, 51, had been with the police department since 2010 and was father to seven kids.

Authorities identified the nine additional 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.

police affidavit released March 23 detailed an interview with Alissa’s sister-in-law, where she disclosed seeing him “playing with a gun she thought looked like a ‘machine gun’” days before the shooting.

According to Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Alissa legally purchased the weapon used in the attack, although it remains unclear how he obtained the illegal magazine. Colorado law limits gun magazines to 15 rounds of ammunition.

Investigators have consistently declined to speculate about his motive.

This is the latest tragedy added to Colorado’s infamous modern history of massacres, including the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, the 2012 mass shooting at a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, and the 2019 murder at STEM School Highlands Ranch.

The Gun Violence Archive has recorded 250 mass shootings across the U.S. so far this year, including four in Colorado.

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