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At least 10 people are dead, including a Boulder police officer, following a mass shooting at King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. The shooting happened on March 22, 2021, and has left a community in mourning.
The incident occurred days after the racially motivated murders last week in the Atlanta area.
Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold has declared “a suspect is in custody,” but the local authorities have not been forthcoming on the type of weapon or a possible motive for the incident. The police chief also shared the Boulder Police Department “will work around the clock to get this accomplished.”
The slain police officer, Eric Talley, joined the department in 2010 and was one of the first officers to respond to the scene. Officials did not disclose any of the other victims’ identities, saying they needed first to notify family members.
Sam Weaver, the mayor of Boulder, said on Twitter: “Words can do no justice to the tragedy that has unfolded this afternoon. Our community will soon grieve our losses and begin our healing.”
Unfortunately, Colorado is no stranger to mass shootings, including the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where 2 students fatally shot a teacher and twelve students before killing themselves.
According to the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, President Biden had been briefed on the Boulder shooting and would be kept apprised of any further developments.
UPDATE: The suspect has been identified as 21-year old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa. He is from a nearby Denver suburb. According to law enforcement, an AR-15 style assault rifle was used in the shooting.
Ahmad had previous run-ins with the law back in 2018 for criminal mischief and third-degree assault. His identity is already known to the F.B.I. as he has been linked to another individual under investigation.
Written by Ebonee Stevenson
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
CNN: 10 dead in a mass shooting at a grocery store in Colorado — and another community’s peace is shattered; by Madeline Holcombe
The Denver Post: Boulder shooting: Gunman kills 10, including police officer, at King Soopers; by Joe Rubino, Noelle Phillips, Elizabeth Hernandez, Shelly Bradbury, Erica Hunziger
Featured Image Courtesy of Allen’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Zach Peterson’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License