Man accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket makes second court appearance
DENVER – A 22-year old man accused of fatally shooting 10 people in March at a Colorado supermarket made his second court appearance Tuesday, and a judge scheduled a hearing for September to review evidence in the case.
The hearing for suspect Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa lasted about two minutes and did not include any substantive discussion about the case, including his defense team's claim the Alissa suffers from an unspecified mental illness.
At Alissa's first hearing the week of the attack March 22 in Boulder, defense attorney Kathryn Herold said the legal team needed two or three months to evaluate his "mental illness" and evidence collected by investigators before proceeding. She did not provide details about his mental health.
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A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting said the suspect's family told investigators they believed Alissa suffered from some type of mental illness, including delusions. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The courtroom was closed to the public because of coronavirus public health safety restrictions; video of the proceedings aired online.
Alissa said nothing during the hearing, siiting in the courtroom's jury box a few feet from his attorneys.
Alissa is accused of killing nine shoppers and workers inside and outside the store and one of the first three police officers who entered the store.
Alissa is also charged with attempted first-degree murder for allegedly firing at 26 other people, including 11 law enforcement officers. He is accused of unlawfully possessing 10 high-capacity ammunition magazines, devices banned in Colorado after mass shootings.
Investigators have not released a possible motive for the attack. District Attorney Michael Dougherty said there was no indication that Alissa, who was from the nearby suburb of Arvada, had ever visited the supermarket before.
Contributing: Michael Balsamo in Washington
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