Gunman who killed 10 at Colorado supermarket sentenced to life in prison

A man who killed 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in 2021 was sentenced Monday to life in prison for murder following the jury's rejection of his attempt to avoid prison time by pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.

Ahmad Alissa was convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder, 38 counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of assault in the first degree and six counts of possessing a large-capacity magazine.

Judge Ingrid Bakke sentenced him to 10 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Defense attorneys did not dispute that Alissa, who has schizophrenia, fatally shot 10 people including a police officer. But the defense argued he was insane at the time of the attack and couldn't tell right from wrong.

"This was not about mental illness. This was about brutal, intentional violence," District Attorney Michael Dougherty said.

The courtroom was packed largely with victims' families and police officers, including those who were shot at by Alissa. Several members of Alissa's family sat just behind him.

On March 22, 2021, 10 people were killed, including one police officer who was the first to respond to the scene, in a shooting at a King Soopers grocery store. Police said the then-21-year-old suspect has been detained and charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder .

Hundreds of police officers from throughout the Denver metropolitan area responded to the attack. SWAT officers carrying ballistic shields slowly approached the store as others quickly escorted frightened people away from the building, some of its windows shattered. Customers and employees fled through a back loading dock to safety. Others took refuge in nearby shops.