Colorado jurors find Boulder grocery store shooting gunman guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder

Jurors reached a verdict Monday afternoon in the Boulder grocery store shooting trial. The jury found Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa guilty of shooting and killing 10 people at the South Table Mesa King Soopers on March 22, 2021, in addition to guilty verdicts on dozens of other charges. 

Jurors had to determine whether Alissa, the gunman who admitted to the shooting, was legally sane at the time of the attack.

In addition to the guilty verdict on 10 counts of first-degree murder, the jury also found the gunman guilty on 38 counts of attempted first-degree murder, guilty of one count of assault in the first degree and guilty on six counts of possession of a large-capacity magazine during the commission of a felony. 

Gov. Jared Polis released the following statement on the guilty verdict, “Three years ago our community felt the unbearable pain of losing ten of our fellow Coloradans in a senseless attack on the Boulder community. That day loved ones, friends, and neighbors were taken from us far too soon by an act of pure evil. Today, justice is served. Though I know this guilty verdict won’t heal the pain so many of us feel, or bring back those who were killed,  I hope that it can provide some peace. My thoughts are with the  family members and friends of Eric Talley, Rikki Olds, Teri Leiker, Denny Stong, Suzanne Fountain, Tralona Bartkowiak, Neven Stanisic, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters, and Kevin Mahoney, as well as the entire Boulder community. We are all still Boulder Strong.”  

Alissa’s brother talked to CBS News Colorado outside of the courthouse. He said that his brother’s mental health changed gradually over time, “We know he changed since 2018 to 2021… three years of changing, it’s not like overnight.”

When asked how he felt about the families of the victims in the shooting, he responded, “I feel bad and sorry for the victims, of course, if I was to put myself in their shoes, I probably would want him dead.”

Several family members of those killed in the shooting spoke during the victim impact statement portion of the sentencing hearing on Monday afternoon. 

“I wish the young man behind the gun would have received more love in his life because then maybe none of this would have happened,” said Erika Mahoney, Kevin Mahoney’s daughter.     

“My daughter, your sister, your auntie, your granddaughter, your niece, your cousin, was one of 10 lives lost in the Boulder massacre. She was murdered. She was gone. We will never see her again. Never hug her. Never laugh with her, never nothing. There are no words for the loss of a child or any loved one in this manner,” said Star Bartkowiak, Tralona Bartkowiak’s mother. 

“Rikki was born with a spark, the spark of a pure heart and she was beyond kind. She would go out of her way to make anyone smile. When you met her, she changed your life,” said Lori Olds, Rikki Olds’ aunt. 

Alissa was arrested at the scene.

Testimony for the prosecution included witnesses who were in the store at the time of the shooting and police officers who were first on scene after reports of the shooting. That witness testimony included one woman who said she heard the gunman saying, “This is fun” while shooting people inside the store. 

Defense attorneys maintained that Alissa was suffering from a mental illness and didn’t know right from wrong on the day of the shooting.

Opening statements in the trial began Sept. 5 after several years of delays due to the court working to determine whether the gunman was competent to stand trial.

Alissa pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to all of the charges including 10 counts of first-degree murder.

The verdict was read around 1:25 p.m. Sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on CBS News Colorado’s live stream.