Ahmad Alissa, Boulder Shooting Suspect: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
hmad Al Aliwi Alissa is a 21-year-old Colorado man who was identified as the suspect in the mass shooting at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder that left 10 people dead, including Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley.
Police were called for an active shooter inside 3600 Table Mesa Drive about 2:40 p.m. on Monday, March 22, 2021, and found a grocery store that had been turned into a bloodbath during the country’s most recent mass shooting. Alissa of Arvada exchanged gunfire with officers, killing Talley, police said in a Tuesday morning press conference. Alissa was also injured in the gunfight and taken to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition Tuesday morning. He was later released Tuesday afternoon to the Boulder County Jail, according to the inmate roster.
Alissa was born in Syria and spent most of his life in Colorado, he wrote on Facebook. He wrote about Islam on social media, saying, “Muslims might not be perfect but Islam is.” According to court documents, Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle on March 16, days before the shooting. Police said in an arrest affidavit Alissa did not say anything to officers at the scene but did ask for his mother. According to police, Alissa stripped off his clothes inside the store and was bleeding from his leg when he was arrested. The rifle, a handgun, body armor and his clothes were strewn about where he was taken into custody along with a substantial amount of blood, according to the arrest affidavit.
The victims have been identified by police as Denny Stong, 20, Neven Stanasic, 23, Rikki Olds, 25, Tralona Bartkowiak, 49, Suzanne Fountain, 59, Teri Leiker, 51, Officer Talley, 51, Kevin Mahoney, 61, Lynn Murray, 62, and Jody Waters, 65. Photos and details about the victims are available here.
Here’s what you need to know about Ahmad Alissa:
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Alissa’s Brother Said He Was Mentally Disturbed & Paranoid; His Motive Remains Under Investigation
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Alissa Lived ‘Most of His Life in the United States’ & His Facebook Page Said He Was Born in Syria
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Alissa Graduated From Arvada West High School, Where He Was on the Wrestling Team
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Video Emerged of Alissa Being Arrested Shortly After the Shooting & Live Stream Video Showed the Immediate Aftermath
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Alissa’s Facebook Posts Included Muslim & Anti-Trump References Along With Homophobic Slurs
Alissa said he was not very political in a post in 2016 before the presidential election. But at times he shared anti-Trump posts. In June 2019, he shared a post from PBS NewsHour about myths about immigration and the U.S. economy and added, “Why refugees and immigrants are good for America.” On May 1, 2019, he shared a YouTube video from an anti-abortion group and wrote, “Abortion is disgusting.”
In September 2018 he shared a story about Trump and possible tapes of the former president using racial slurs.
Alissa wrote, “Even if they released the tapes his base would probably throw a party for him. He could do whatever hew ants and his base would still support him regardless of what he says or does.”
That same day he shared a story about Trump’s approach to refugees and wrote, “Trumps such a d***.”
He wrote after Election Day in November 2016, “Regardless of political affiliation, I think it says a lot that one party has had the first minority president and the first women who might be our next president. Trump won, only time can tell what will happen other than that I will remain optimistic.”
He posted on Facebook often about his Muslim faith. He wrote on May 27, 2019, “Eids about to come up hope all us Muslims have a good eid and finish Ramadan strong.”
He wrote on May 7, 2019, “So Mary wears a hijab and Jesus doesn’t eat pork and prays on his knees and hands. There both Muslims it’s obvious.”
He shared a post in March 2019 and wrote, “What Islam is really about,” along with a list from Muslim Hub that included “Do not be rude in speech,” “restrain anger,” “be good to others,” “do not be arrogant” and “forgive others for their mistakes.”
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