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State hospital failed to provide mental health reports for King Soopers shooting suspect

An order issued this week asks the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo to explain why it has failed to meet court deadlines.

BOULDER, Colo. — The judge overseeing the case for the man accused of killing 10 people at a King Soopers in Boulder just over a year ago issued an order asking the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP) to explain why it has yet to provide an update on the suspect's mental health.

The order filed by Judge Ingrid Bakke on Feb. 16 notes that CMHIP failed to comply with court orders issued in early December and late January.

RELATED: Family of King Soopers shooting victim frustrated by delay over competency

On Dec. 3, 2020, Bakke ruled that Ahmad Alissa was incompetent to stand trial in connection with the  March 22, 2021 shooting at a King Soopers on Table Mesa Drive that left 10 people dead.

The victims include:

  • Neven Stanisic, 23
  • Kevin Mahoney, 61
  • Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
  • Rikki Olds, 25
  • Denny Stong, 20
  • Lynn Murray, 62
  • Teri Leiker, 51
  • Jody Waters, 65
  • Suzanne Fountain, 59
  • Eric Talley, 51

An order issued on the same day of the competency ruling required CMHIP to provide restoration reports every 30 days for the first three reports. The first report was to include information about the likelihood of Alissa being restored to competency so a trial could move forward.

A Jan. 31 order from Bakke asked CMHIP to provide a report and noted that it had yet to receive one despite it being more than 30 days since the order and more than 30 days since Alissa was transported into CMHIP custody on Dec. 15.

Credit: Boulder County Sheriff's Office
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa

The Office of Behavioral Health responded to the order with a statement saying it had received Bakke's order and would provide a response. The statement is in full below and it also indicates that CMHIP has not missed any statutory deadlines.

Per statute, the Court is required to review each case in which a defendant has been found incompetent within 91 days of the Court’s order committing them to the Department’s custody. The Department is required to provide a report regarding competency at least 10 days prior to that review. The Department will adhere to its statutory obligations. The Department is in receipt of the Court’s Order to Show Cause and will provide a response as required.

RELATED: Inside Table Mesa King Soopers nearly a year after shooting

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