Police identify the suspected gunman, and say he faces murder charges: NPR

Police in Boulder, Colorado, have identified the suspect in the Monday shooting attack in a grocery store as Ahmed Al-Alaiwi Al-Issa, 21. Ten people were killed in the shooting, including a Boulder police officer who arrived to help from inside the store. The victims were between 20 and 65 years old.

“Our hearts go out to all the victims of this foolish, violent act,” said Maryse Herold, Boulder Police Chief.

Herold told a news conference Tuesday morning that all victims have now been identified and their families have been informed. Then I read the list of victims:

Denny Strong, 20 years old;
Nevin Stanissek, 23 years old;
Ricky Olds, 25;
Traluna Bartkoviak, 49;
Susan Fountain 59;
Terry Leaker, 51;
Eric Tally, 51;
Kevin Mahoney
Lynn Murray, 62;
Judy Waters, 65

“This is real horror and horror for all of us,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said.

Police, who is from Boulder, said he had been shopping in the same store where the violence erupted on Monday. Herold later added that she lives three blocks from the store.

“I feel numb,” she said, describing the pain of talking to people in the community about the tragic deaths.

The suspect is from Arvada, a small city located between Denver and Boulder. Boulder County Attorney Michael Dougherty said he was injured during the shooting and is expected to be discharged from hospital and sent to the county jail sometime Tuesday.

Herold said the suspect had a “complete” wound to his leg.

Ben Marcus of Colorado Public Radio reported that Alyssa has a police record, after she was arrested for misdemeanor assault in 2018. He pleaded guilty and paid a fine to solve the case, according to court records.

Speaking of the murdered officer, Herold said that only weeks ago, she had Tally and his entire family in her office so she could present an award. She explained that the praise was for one of his sons who saved another boy’s life by performing CPR.

“He loved this community,” said a next chief, saying it represented everything their police department needed.

Police said, “Barely half the flags were raised from the staff” after a spate of gunfire last week at Atlanta area spa resorts when fresh violence erupted in Boulder.

Michael H. Schneider, the FBI Special Agent in Charge, said the FBI, ATF, and other federal agencies are assisting the investigation, primarily by processing evidence at the crime scene and interviewing witnesses. He added that efforts are underway to determine the possible motive for the attack.

First reports from Shots were fired at King Sooper grocery store He arrived at Boulder Police Department around 2:30 PM local time on Monday, Herold said that evening. She gave more details on Tuesday, saying the officers were dispatched around 2:40 p.m. and arrived within minutes.

The police department said in a press release that the officers “immediately entered the store and clashed with the suspect.” “There was an exchange of fire during which the suspect was shot. None of the other officers were injured. Then the suspect was taken into custody at 3:28 pm” and taken to hospital, the agency said.