The suspect charged with killing 10 people at a Colorado grocery store will be held in jail without bond until his next court hearing.
On Thursday (March 25), prosecutors revealed they would be filing “additional charges” against Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa in the coming weeks.
Alissa’s lawyer, Kathryn Herold, however, argued that nothing can be done until her client’s mental illness is fully assessed. “We cannot begin to assess the nature and depth of Mr. Alissa’s mental illness until we have the discovery from the government,” she said.
Herold requested more time to analyze Allissa’s mental condition, and Judge Thomas Mulvahill granted a two-to-three month delay until the next hearing.
“I want to make sure that the defense has ample opportunity to prepare to move forward,” he said.
Allissa is facing 10 counts of first-degree murder in addition to one attempted murder charge in connection with the fatal shooting of 10 people, including police officer Eric Talley, at the King Soopers store on Monday afternoon (March 22).
Authorities are still trying to determine his motive in the shooting. They believe the attack may have been planned as he purchased a semiautomatic firearm just a few days before the gunfire and passed several supermarkets on the 20-mile drive from his Arvada residence to Boulder.
The 21-year-old suspect is currently being housed at the Boulder County Jail, where he was transported after receiving medical treatment for a leg wound he endured during a shooting exchange with officers. He will stay there while investigators and his legal defense team prepare for the case.
The people of Boulder have been holding vigils to honor the lives of the victims who were identified as: Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Rikki Olds, 25; Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Eric Talley, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62, and Jody Waters, 65.