Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the gunman who killed 10 people in a mass shooting at a Boulder, Colorado, grocery store in March 2021, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The sentence on Monday came just hours after a jury found him guilty of all charges, including 10 counts of first-degree murder, following a trial that rejected his insanity defense.
The attack took place at a King Soopers grocery store, where shoppers and employees, along with a responding police officer, were among the victims. Alissa, 25, was also convicted on 45 other felony charges, including attempted murder, assault, and the use of a prohibited large-capacity magazine. He was handed 10 consecutive life sentences, one for each of his victims, along with an additional 1,334 years for other crimes.
During the sentencing, families of the victims delivered emotional impact statements, describing the ongoing pain and loss they have experienced since the tragedy. Nikolina Stanisic, whose brother Neven was killed, described her sibling as a “caring, kind, and selfless person,” emphasizing the irreplaceable void his death left in their family. Similar sentiments were shared by relatives of other victims, many of whom expressed grief over the lasting impact of the shooting.
Prosecutors argued that while Alissa had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, he was legally sane at the time of the attack. They presented evidence that he had planned the shooting for months, carefully researching other mass shootings and preparing for his attack. The defense maintained that Alissa’s psychosis led to the tragedy, claiming that he was driven by delusions and was not in control of his actions.
The mass shooting took place on March 22, 2021, in the city of Boulder. The victims ranged in age from 20 to 65, including Boulder police officer Eric Talley, who was killed while responding to the scene. Alissa was apprehended at the store after an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers.
“Justice has finally been done,” stated Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty after the sentencing.
He also acknowledged that the verdict could never undo the harm caused by the massacre. The trial, which spanned several weeks, featured testimony from experts and witnesses, including family members of the victims.
“Though this verdict cannot bring back the lives lost, I hope it brings some peace to the families and the Boulder community,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis also supporting the sentencing.
Alissa will spend the rest of his life in a state prison under the terms of the sentencing, as Colorado does not have the death penalty.
