Police Officer confirmed among dead in Colorado as the President calls for a ban on assault weapons
Update: On Tuesday afternoon, Ahmad Alissa was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder.
Editor’s note: Since this story was published, the Boulder Police Department has released the names of the individuals killed in King Soopers on Monday.
Less than a week after the shooting that left eight dead in Atlanta, Georgia, another shooting occurred yesterday afternoon at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado.
Many of the shoppers and store employees fled the scene, while some were left to hide inside. Police officers could be seen on top of the building evacuating shoppers and store employees that had escaped through the upstairs.
According to two roommates who were purchasing dinner at the King Soopers when the gunman entered the store, “He just came in and started shooting….he let off a couple of shots, then was silent, and then he let off a couple more. He wasn’t spraying.”
During a press conference this morning, President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass comprehensive gun reform.
“Less than a week after the horrific murders of eight people, and the assault of the AAPI community in Georgia, while the flag was still flying half-staff for the tragedy, another American city has been scarred by gun violence,” Biden said. “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again. I got that done when I was a senator.”
Among the 10 dead from yesterday’s shooting was Officer Eric Talley, 51, of the Boulder Police Department. Talley had served with the department for over 11 years before yesterday’s tragedy and was the first to respond to the shooting.
No other victims have been publicly identified as police work to inform families and continue their investigation.
Police have identified 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa as a suspect. No formal charges have been brought against him. No motive has been given as to why the gunman carried out the shooting.
Immediately after the shooting, local politicians took to social media to call for gun legislation. “We are tired of living in fear. The victims and survivors will always have my thoughts and prayers, but they deserve my action,” Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) said. “We need serious and effective gun violence legislation now.”
Earlier this year, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) introduced H.R. 127, the first big piece of gun legislation to hit the House floor since Biden’s inauguration.
The bill, known as the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act, has been met with controversy as the bill aims to require citizens to register their firearms annually to a federal registry and pay an annual $800 to the federal government as an insurance. Citizens seeking a firearms license would be required to be at least 21 years old, be submitted for a federal background check, receive psychological evaluation and complete a full 24 hours of firearms training.
Every state, including Utah, is already subject to a federal law which states that citizens purchasing handguns must be over 21 and over 18 for long-barreled rifles and shotguns. Many states require some sort of training or license to carry a handgun, but several, including Utah, have moved towards what is known as “constitutional carry”, or the ability to legally carry a handgun without a permit. Utah’s constitutional carry law goes into effect May 5.
Numerous advocates have spoken out against H.R. 127. One of the biggest issues taken up by pro-2nd Amendment politicians and public figures is that the bill creates a publicly-searchable gun registry, allowing anyone and everyone to know where guns are stored in someone’s home and how much ammunition is present.
The bill’s mandated psychological evaluation includes seeking references from previous spouses and other family members, meaning an angry divorcee or relative could prevent someone from purchasing or owning a firearm.
The bill has not yet left the House Judiciary Committee and has no cosponsors.