Perpetrator in 2021 Colorado Mass Shooting Sentenced to Life Without Parole

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Sep 24, 2024

Above: Aurora Police chief Vanessa Wilson delivers an empty flag case to the Boulder Police Department as she pay her respects to slain Boulder Police officer Eric Talley on March 26, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado. Image copyright: Michael Ciaglo/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Imagesstory last updated Sep 25

The Facts

Ahmad Alissa, the gunman convicted of the March 2021 mass shooting at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, was on Monday convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder.
Alissa's victims included a policeman who was called out to the shooting. Witnesses described him as methodical and brutal, firing at some from point-blank range while shouting: "This is fun."

The Spin

Narrative A

While there is no question that Alissa committed these horrible violent crimes, he is also a diagnosed schizophrenic with a history of mental illness. He reported hearing "killing voices" before the shooting, and his family members reported that he was paranoid and withdrawn in the months before he perpetrated this tragedy. In this context, he should not have been found guilty.

WION

Narrative B

Mental illness alone is not enough to avoid legal culpability. While there is no question that Alissa is profoundly mentally unwell, he was competent enough before and during the shooting to purchase steel piercing bullets and high capacity magazines, before methodically seeking out and killing victims during his rampage. He was well aware that his actions were wrong, and he needs to be held accountable. This sentencing is a necessary step towards justice for the victims and their families.