Boulder shooting suspect now faces 115 charges

By Julia Cardi May 24, 2021 | updated 5 years ago

BOULDER, CO - MARCH 25: Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, appears before Boulder District Court Judge Thomas Mulvahill at the Boulder County Justice Center in Boulder, Colorado on March 25, 2021. Alissa is suspected of shooting and killing 10 people at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder on Monday, March 22. The Boulder County district attorney charged Alissa with 11 counts in connection to the shooting. Alissa has been held in jail since his arrest Monday at the scene of the shooting on suspicion of 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post, Pool) (Helen H. Richardson)

Boulder County’s district attorney has filed eight new attempted murder charges against the man accused of killing 10 people and shooting at dozens of others in March at the King Soopers on Boulder’s south end.

Authorities say Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa entered the King Soopers at 3600 Table Mesa Drive in south Boulder on the afternoon of March 22. During the massacre, customers, employees and one Boulder police officer were killed.

The charges against the 22-year-old suspect now include counts for 10 murder victims, 15 civilian victims of attempted murder and 11 law enforcement officers listed as attempted murder victims. He now faces 115 charges total, which also include using a banned high-capacity magazine during the commission of a felony or crime of violence and use of a deadly weapon while committing the murders and attempted murders he is charged with.

For the first-degree murder charges, the suspect faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

In April when prosecutors added a batch of attempted murder charges to the suspect’s case, District Attorney Michael Dougherty said the charging document in the case listed counts for the murder of victims in the order in which officials believe the suspect killed them. Likewise, the document listed the attempted murder charges against the suspect in the order in which prosecutors believe events unfolded.

The suspect was shot in the thigh by Boulder Police Officer Richard Steidell during exchange of gunfire with responding officers. He stripped most of his clothes off and put his weapon down before walking backward toward police to surrender, according to the arrest affidavit. Earlier this month, an investigation found Steidell’s shooting of the suspect justified.

The 10 people killed in the massacre have been identified as: Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Teri Leiker, 51; Officer Talley; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; and Jody Waters, 65.

According to the latest charging document, the attempted murder victims for which the suspect has been charged include:

Angela Peacock
Casey Taylor
Hadyn Steele
Khagendra Malla
Jacqueline Keeton
Paul Johnson
Kymberly Brekhus
Mykah Huang
Tasia Beresford
Patrick Kruse
James Graham
Kelly Rae Dorr
Sarah Moonshadow
Nick Edwards
Christopher Tatum
Boulder Police Department Officer Bryan Capobianco
Boulder Officer Pam Gignac
Boulder Officer Richard Steidell
Boulder Officer Bryan Plyter
Boulder Officer Alexander Kicera
Boulder Officer Jenny Schmeits
Boulder Officer D.J. (Richard) Smith
University of Colorado Police Department Officer Brandon Braun
Boulder Officer Michael West
Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jeffrey Brunkow
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Ranger Samuel Kilburn

Some of the attempted murder charges include two counts for one survivor: One charge for intent to kill after deliberation, and a second for showing extreme indifference to human life and knowingly engaging in conduct that created a risk of another person’s death.

A total of 10 magazines were found either on the suspect or in his car, according to Dougherty. He said officials believe the magazines were sold legally, but he declined to provide more information about where or how the suspect may have acquired them.

The specific capacity of each magazine is unknown. Colorado state law prohibits more than 15 rounds per magazine.

The suspect’s case has a status hearing at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday.

BOULDER, CO - MARCH 25: Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, appears before Boulder District Court Judge Thomas Mulvahill at the Boulder County Justice Center in Boulder, Colorado on March 25, 2021. Alissa is suspected of shooting and killing 10 people at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder on Monday, March 22. The Boulder County district attorney charged Alissa with 11 counts in connection to the shooting. Alissa has been held in jail since his arrest Monday at the scene of the shooting on suspicion of 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post, Pool) (Helen H. Richardson) — BOULDER, CO – MARCH 25: Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, appears before Boulder District Court Judge Thomas Mulvahill at the Boulder County Justice Center in Boulder, Colorado on March 25, 2021. Alissa is suspected of shooting and killing 10 people at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder on Monday, March 22. The Boulder County district attorney charged Alissa with 11 counts in connection to the shooting. Alissa has been held in jail since his arrest Monday at the scene of the shooting on suspicion of 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post, Pool) (Helen H. Richardson)

Julia Cardi

Reporter