Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa is expected to make his first court appearance later this morning. He is expected to face 10 counts of first-degree murder, which would land him in jail for the rest of his life if convicted.
The 21-year-old has been accused of opening fire at a King Soopers supermarket near the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. This week's shooting killed ten people and mentally scarred several others.
Alissa was also shot and injured during the fatal incident. He was treated at a local hospital before being transported to the Boulder County Jail. The 21-year-old is being held at a local facility until more decisions are made in his ongoing legal proceedings.
Following the shooting, police uncovered "a rifle (possible AR-15)" and a semiautomatic handgun in his possession. He reportedly purchased one of the firearms, a Ruger AR-556, one week before the mass shooting. Prior to this week's shooting, the Arvada, Colorado resident pled guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in 2018.
The Boulder, Colorado shooting is one of three recent high-profile incidents involving guns in recent weeks. Yesterday, a man in Atlanta was arrested for carrying firearms and body armor into a local grocery store. Days prior, a man was arrested after killing eight people at various spas in the Atlanta area. This recent string of incidents has caused several political leaders to call for stricter gun laws and a ban on assault rifles.
"This is a test of our democracy. 80% of Americans support gun violence prevention. A majority in the House and Senate support it. Get rid of the filibuster and save lives," Rep. Ilhan Omar tweeted.
"In the last 24 hours: 10 lives were stolen in Colorado. Rightwards arrow Republicans called a Congressional hearing on gun control 'theater.' It's long past time to end the obstructionism that's costing lives. Abolish the filibuster and pass meaningful gun control legislation. Now," Rep. Ayanna Pressley added.
Alissa's court appearance is expected to take place at 8:15 a.m.
Photo Credit: Getty Images