Jury Selection Begins in Colorado Supermarket Mass Shooting Trial

Jury Selection Begins in Colorado Supermarket Mass Shooting Trial

Jury selection is set to commence in the long-awaited trial of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, charged with murdering 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in 2021. The case has faced delays after Alissa was initially ruled mentally unfit to stand trial. He has since pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Prosecution’s Case Hinges on Mental State Defense

The prosecution’s case will hinge on convincing jurors that Alissa was mentally ill at the time of the shooting to the extent that he did not understand the difference between right and wrong. This would exempt him from legal responsibility for his actions.

Undisputed Facts of the Shooting

The basic facts of the case are not disputed. On March 22, 2021, Alissa entered a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, armed with a legally purchased Ruger AR-556 pistol. He shot and killed two people in the parking lot and eight more inside the store, including a responding police officer.

Competency and Insanity Pleas

After an evaluation, Alissa was initially deemed incompetent to stand trial due to schizophrenia. However, in November 2023, he was ruled restored to competency after his mental condition improved with treatment. Competence deals with the defendant’s ability to understand charges and assist in their defense, while an insanity plea focuses on their mental state at the time of the alleged crime.

Disturbing Details of the Killings

During Alissa’s plea hearing, disturbing details of the killings emerged. A detective testified that Alissa shot one victim in the back and pursued him as he crawled away, fatally shooting him again. He also shot and wounded a woman and fired multiple additional rounds at her as she lay in a fetal position. All victims struck by gunfire died from their injuries.

Motive Remains Unclear

Prosecutors have not provided a clear motive for the shooting spree. However, a psychologist who treated Alissa at a state mental hospital stated that he expressed a desire to “commit suicide by cop.”