Commencement of trials in the tragic case of the Colorado supermarket shootings
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, aged 25, is under investigation for a series of heinous crimes, including 93 counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault. Alissa has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
The crux of this legal battle lies in Alissa's mental health. Neither his defense nor prosecution denies his involvement in the tragedy at a King Sooper's supermarket. However, the key question is whether Alissa was capable of forming intent, or capable of distinguishing between right and wrong at the time of the incident.
In the courtroom, jurors have listened to 10 days of testimony. The prosecution asserts that Alissa's schizophrenia diagnosis, which came after the incident, does not constitute insanity.
Assistant District Attorney Ken Kupfner addressed the jury, stating, "What happened on March 22, 2021, is not a mystery, it was on video," emphasizing Alissa's intent and actions. He argued that Alissa acted with deliberation, not as a mentally unstable individual.
Alissa's defense attorney, Kathryn Herold, spoke of the event as a tragedy brought on by Alissa's mental illness instead of a choice. She suggested that without the psychosis Alissa was suffering from, the incident would not have occurred.
Key Evidence
Over a period of 7 days, the prosecution presented evidence, painting Alissa as a deliberate and calculated perpetrator. They pointed to Alissa's purchase of weapons, ammunition, tactical gear, and firearm accessories, which began in January 2021, months prior to the shooting.
Digital forensic examiner Stephanie Sears presented evidence of searches related to prior mass shootings on Alissa's phone, including the El Paso Walmart shooting, the Christchurch mosque shootings, and an attack in Muscogee, Oklahoma. She also found searches related to semiautomatic weapon trigger modifications, bullet types, and legal aspects of 30-round magazines.
A note found on Alissa's phone detailing Brazilian jiu-jitsu moves evolved to tactical movements and shooting while moving, complete with notes such as "engage, move, stop, engage," and "bring optics to eye not opposite."
Survivor Testimony
Various survivors painfully recounted the events, adding a human perspective to the grim proceedings. Retired emergency physician Dr. Alison Sheets detailed her experience, hearing "loud noises" and taking shelter in the potato chip aisle, noting the shooter's methodical scanning of the aisle as he passed by.
Suzanne Fountain, the ninth victim, was just one aisle over from Dr. Sheets' hiding spot. Sheets heard a brief exhalation, which marked Fountain's final moments.
Pharmacist Sarah Chen, filling in for the day, recounted hearing the gunman's movements and yelling, expressing his enjoyment of the situation by declaring, "This is fun, this is fun!" at least three times.
The Response of First Responders
The initial response by first responders was fraught with confusion and fear. Testimony revealed an ambiguous communication system, with conflicting reports of multiple shooters and no clear understanding of the situation.
Officer Bryan Plyter, arriving at the scene, felt a chill down his spine upon hearing the skeptical tone of the first responding officer over the radio. He was armed with only a shield in a situation where it would prove ineffective against the high-power rifle rounds Alissa was reportedly using.
Similarly, other officers testified to entering the store with insufficient equipment, including only handguns and without ballistic vests or helmets.
"I had made a decision that I was probably going to lose my life going into this store. I thought about my child, that I may never see him again," Plyter said.
Paraphrased Text:
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 25 years old, faces 93 charges for a series of violent crimes, including murder and assault. He denies guilt by reason of insanity. Essentially, the main issue in this case is Alissa's sanity as his lawyers admit his involvement in a shooting incident at a King Sooper's store but argue his inability to understand right and wrong or intent at the time.
Over ten days of courtroom proceedings, jurors listened to testimonies, gathering evidence for determining whether Alissa was insane or aware of his actions. The prosecution asserts that despite Alissa's schizophrenia diagnosis, he was sane during the attack. They presented evidence of his weapon and ammunition purchases, recent mass shootings he researched and watched on digital media, and his detailed note about tactics for the attack.
The defense counters by stating Alissa's actions followed from his mental illness, advocating instead that he was not acting intentionally but as a result of illness.
A retired physician witnessed the incident and heard "loud noises" just as she ducked behind a cardboard display. After realizing these were gunshots, she slid onto a potato chip shelf, frightened as she saw the shooter patrolling the aisles.
A pharmacist testifying, Sarah Chen, described the gunman moving through the store and yelling he found the experience enjoyable.
First responders had trouble dealing with the chaos defined by miscommunication as they entered the scene uncertain about the number of shooters and their preparedness to face a high-powered rifle. Officer Bryan Plyter, in particular, entered the store with only a shield for protection, which failed to stop higher caliber bullets, amidst conflicting reports of multiple shooters.
'Somewhat similar to interacting with a Vulcan'
Dr. Loandra Torres, one of the psychiatric professionals who assessed Alissa during his stay at the Colorado Mental Health Medical Center in Pueblo, labeled Alissa as exhibiting "negative" symptoms of schizophrenia, which encompass the absence of typical cognitive and behavioral functions. She reported that he was secluded, displayed no emotions, refrained from communicating or would only provide vague responses to queries, and showed indications of hearing voices.
Torres' colleague, Dr. Thomas Gray, likened the negative symptoms of schizophrenia to being "somewhat similar to interacting with a Vulcan."
Despite identifying these symptoms, Torres and Gray proposed that Alissa "was not insane at the time of the incident," as they could not find evidence to suggest he was unable to distinguish between right and wrong or form intent.
"A mental health condition or defect in itself is not sufficient to deem an individual insane," Torres testified.
Defense attorneys argued that Alissa had spiraled into insanity due to his untreated, undiagnosed schizophrenia.
During the cross-examination of Torres, defense attorney SamDunn questioned whether she believed Alissa was experiencing a psychotic episode during the incident, and Torres confirmed that she did.
"We believe that the voices played a role in this incident to some extent, and as a result, we believe that if it weren't for the mental illness, this likely would not have occurred," Torres testified.
Suicide garment
The defense enlisted the testimony of several medical professionals involved in Alissa’s care, including Dr. Joshua Hatfield, whom they employed soon after the event to evaluate his mental state.
Hatfield, a forensic psychologist, discussed meeting Alissa between March and August 2021, prior to his receiving treatment for schizophrenia. He described Alissa as being "exceptionally psychotic, extraordinarily unwell."
During their first session, Hatfield recalled Alissa wearing a "suicide garment," which is outfit used for safety purposes when there's a concern that an inmate may harm themselves.
"He wasn't wearing any clothing beneath his garment, he was completely exposed and didn't seem to have any concerns or understanding that he was essentially sitting there naked and exposed for anyone who might pass by," Hatfield commented.
Hatfield also mentioned his observations of Alissa's poor hygiene, a point corroborated by other expert witnesses and Alissa's own family.
Family shares childhood experiences
The defense called six of Alissa’s immediate family members to the stand, including both parents, his two brothers, and two sisters. The family emigrated from Syria when Alissa was a young child. Alissa and several of his siblings were sent back to Syria to learn the language and culture between 2008 and 2010, before returning to the U.S. to attend high school.
They all spoke of Alissa as a kind, intelligent child who became more introverted during high school. Each of them reported that he started talking to himself, smiled and laughed spontaneously, and exhibited signs of paranoia. They recalled that he would isolate himself, smoking hookah, and wouldn't engage with the rest of the family unless specifically addressed.
The family described the physical changes they observed in Alissa that seemed to correspond with the onset of his schizophrenia. They mentioned that he gained weight, lost his hair, and stopped showering regularly.
They recalled his forgetfulness while working at one of the family's numerous restaurants, where he required constant supervision to ensure he was preparing meals correctly and not overcooking the food.
Alissa’s mother, Khadija Alhidid, was the first family member to testify. Using a language interpreter, she recounted an incident where Alissa damaged a car key fob as he believed it was being used to track him.
She also testified that her son had taped over the camera on his phone because he was convinced he was under surveillance.
Alissa’s father, Moustafa Alissa, testified through an interpreter that he had been reluctant to seek help for his son's increasingly bizarre behavior out of fear of embarrassment within the Syrian community. He expressed concern that admitting his son was mentally unstable would be shameful. Moustafa Alissa also testified that he thought his son might have been possessed by jinn, which, in Islamic culture, are malignant spirits that can harm humans.
During his cross-examination, District Attorney MichaelDougherty asked Alissa's parents about an incident involving a gun at their home just days before the shooting. A bullet had become lodged in a Ruger AR-556 rifle, which would later be used in the shooting, and Alissa was attempting to remove it by slamming the gun against the floor. Alhidid stated that one of Alissa’s brothers had assisted him in dislodging the bullet, and that the weapon was supposed to be returned the following day.
On the morning of the shooting, Alissa’s mother said she prepared breakfast for her son and offered him $20 to visit the barber for a haircut and shave. She and her husband left the house later to run errands, and that was the last time she saw Alissa before she testified in court.
The defense fierceley argues that Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa's actions were a result of his untreated and undiagnosed schizophrenia, suggesting his mental illness played a significant role in the incident. During Alissa's stay at the Colorado Mental Health Medical Center, Dr. Loandra Torres observed negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as seclusion, lack of emotions, and communication difficulties. Moreover, his family members testified that Alissa displayed signs of mental deterioration, including weight gain, poor hygiene, and paranoia.
