March 25 (UPI) — The man accused of killing 10 people at a Boulder, Colo., supermarket this week appeared in court for the first time on Thursday, and was denied bail at the hearing.
The judge said Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, who faces 10 charges of first-degree murder in Monday’s shooting attack at the King Soopers store, must be held without bond.
Defense attorneys at the hearing asked for more time to evaluate Alissa’s mental state.
Judge Thomas Mulvahill made the ruling during a brief hearing at which Alissa, 21, formally faced the charges for killing nine civilians and police officer Eric Talley.
Mulvahill granted a request by defense attorneys for a two- to three-month delay until the next status hearing so Alissa’s mental health can be “fully” assessed.
Alissa is also charged with the attempted murder of another police officer.
Prosecutors said Thursday they expect to file additional charges against Alissa in the coming weeks.
According to the charges, Alissa used a Ruger AR-556 pistol during the shooting, a weapon that would have been banned under a Boulder city law enacted in 2018. The ban was overturned by a local judge just days before the attack. The judge in the case said it violated a 2003 state law that prohibited cities from enacting such laws.
Three Colorado lawmakers have called for a statewide ban on the type of assault weapon that was used in the Boulder attack.
State Senate Democratic leader Steve Fenberg and Democratic state Reps. Judy Amabile and Rep. Edie Hooton are trying to rally support for the ban.
Colorado lawmakers have already proposed two bills for gun reform. One would set more stringent rules for firearms storage and the other would require owners to report lost or stolen guns.
