Title: Colorado Shooting Suspect’s Mental Competency to Stand Trial Under Debate
A hearing is underway to determine the mental competency of Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the individual accused of the deadly shooting spree at a Colorado supermarket in 2021. Alissa, 24 years old, was deemed mentally competent by experts at the state mental hospital in August. However, his defense attorney, Kathryn Herold, requested that the determination be contested in court.
The two-day hearing, which includes testimonies, will ultimately determine whether Alissa is fit to stand trial. Judge Ingrid Bakke is expected to issue her ruling, potentially as early as Thursday. Herold argued that Alissa, who suffers from schizophrenia, is not mentally competent and cited psychiatric evaluations describing him as profoundly mentally ill.
Schizophrenia can significantly impair an individual’s grasp on reality, potentially impacting their ability to mount a legal defense in court. Mental competency to stand trial requires Alissa to comprehend court proceedings and effectively assist his defense attorney. It should be noted that mental competency is distinct from pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, which asserts that a person’s mental health prevented them from understanding the nature of their actions at the time of the crime.
The August evaluation, the first to declare Alissa competent, followed a two-year pause in the case that has left victims and their families eager for progress. According to prosecutors in August, the experts at the mental hospital considered Alissa competent due to his consistent medication intake and stable therapeutic environment. Nevertheless, they noted that his competency remains tenuous.
Alissa faces multiple charges of murder and attempted murder for the shooting that began on March 22, 2021, at a crowded King Soopers store in Boulder. Allegedly, Alissa began firing outside the store, shooting at least one person in the parking lot before continuing inside. Employees and customers desperately sought to escape the violence, some fleeing through loading docks while others took shelter in nearby shops.
Law enforcement swiftly responded, apprehending Alissa with the assistance of a SWAT team. Despite the considerable interest surrounding the case, a motive for the shooting remains undisclosed, and little is known about why Alissa committed such a horrific act. Limited information exists regarding Alissa’s criminal past, with his conviction for assaulting a fellow high school student in 2018 being one of the few known incidents before the shooting.
Though hospital reports on Alissa are not publicly available due to Colorado law, his lawyers confirmed in February, via court filings, that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. They further noted his struggles in tolerating prolonged contact with other individuals.
Last year, the remodeled King Soopers store reopened, with approximately half of its former employees returning to work. As the trial proceedings continue, people affected by the tragedy seek closure and hope for justice.
