Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, the suspect in the Colorado supermarket shootings, passed a background check, conducted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, before purchasing a weapon at a local gun store.
BOULDER, Colo. — The suspect in the Colorado supermarket shootings bought a gun before the shooting at a local gun store after passing a background check, the store’s owner said Friday. John Mark Eagleton, owner of Eagles Nest Armory in the Denver suburb of Arvada, said in a statement that his store was cooperating with authorities as they investigate the Monday shooting that killed 10 people, including a police officer. Eagleton said the suspect in the shooting, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, passed a background check conducted by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation before purchasing the firearm. Authorities previously said Alissa,21, purchased the AR-15 style gun used in the mass shooting on March 16, six days before Monday’s fatal shootings. Alissa is from Arvada. «We are absolutely shocked by what happened and our hearts are broken for the victims and families that are left behind. Ensuring every sale that occurs at our shop is lawful, has always been and will always remain the highest priority for our business,» Eagleton said in the statement. The statement added: «Regarding the firearm in question, a background check of the purchaser was conducted as required by Colorado law and approval for the sale was provided by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. We have and will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement as their investigation continues.» Alissa was convicted in 2018 of misdemeanor assault after he knocked a fellow high school student to the floor, climbed on top of him and punched him in the head several times, according to police documents.
