Gunman in King Soopers Mass Shooting Competent to Stand Trial

The man accused of killing 10 people more than two years ago in a Colorado King Soopers has been declared mentally competent to stand trial.  

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa is accused of carrying out a mass shooting at the Table Mesa King Soopers in Boulder in March 2021.

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According to AP News, prosecutors wrote in a court filing that experts at the state mental hospital said in their latest report that they now think Alissa is competent because he is consistently taking his medication, including a new, unidentifed drug. However, the filing said that they believe his competency is “tenuous” and recommend Alissa, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, continue with ongoing psychiatric care and medications to remain competent. This all raises the possibility that criminal proceedings stalled for more than 1½ years could resume soon.

Alissa has not been asked yet to enter a plea, and his lawyers have not commented about the allegations. A hearing to discuss the status of the case is scheduled for Aug. 29.

After the shooting, parent company Kroger closed the King Soopers store for 11 months; the location reopened in 2022 after a full remodel and celebrations honoring the victims, of whom several were employees. King Soopers also donated $1 million to the Colorado Healing Fund to support the needs of victims, families, survivors and community members affected by the tragedy.

As the number of crises in the United States and in grocery stores increases, Progressive Grocer has found that most grocery retailers are ill-prepared for a disaster event. According to a study of Progressive Grocer readers conducted earlier this year, a whopping 40% of grocery retailers said they have had at least one crisis or emergency incident in the past two years. Half of respondents also said that the threat climate in their store(s) is now higher than just five years ago.