On Monday, AlertsUSA subscribers were some of the first in the U.S. to learn of an active shooter situation unfolding at the King Soopers Supermarket located in the Table Mesa area of South Boulder, Colorado. In this incident, 21-year-old Ahmad al-Aliwi al-Issa of Arvada, Colorado, entered the parking lot of the supermarket in early afternoon, exited his vehicle wearing tactical body armor and began to fire on individuals. He was armed with an AR-15 style rifle (Ruger AR-556), as well as a semi-automatic handgun.
One victim was killed in a car parked next to the gunman's vehicle, and another was shot multiple times elsewhere in the parking lot.
Al-Issa then entered the store and began to fire on shoppers, employees, as well as those waiting in line to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations at the store's pharmacy. Responding police officers reported being fired upon repeatedly by the gunman. One of the first officers on the scene was Eric Talley of the Boulder Police Dept, who was shot and killed shortly after entering the store. The gun battle with police lasted approximately 30 min., with al-Issa eventually surrendering and being taken into custody after being shot in the leg.
More than one dozen law enforcement agencies responded to the incident, including the Jefferson County SWAT, the FBI, ATF and multiple local police departments. A fire department ladder truck was also used to allow SWAT team members access to the roof of the supermarket.
In total, 10 people we killed in this attack. Al-Issa faces 10 counts of murder in the first degree.
Disrupting the Narrative
As has been repeatedly seen for well more than a decade, if a mass shooting incident or other attack is carried out by a white guy, the identity of the perpetrator, including first, middle and last name, the scope of their social media footprint, and often their home address, is broadcast far and wide, sometimes before the crime scene investigation is complete. But when it comes to someone of color or of Middle East, North African or South Asian descent, every effort is put forth to block or otherwise obscure the suspect's identity.
Such is the case with this incident. Mainstream news outlets and even law enforcement initially refused to release any information about the suspect in the supermarket shooting, aside from saying he was a white male in his early 20s.
As it turns out, Ahmad al-Aliwi al-Issa is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Syria. Screen captures of his social media pages, snagged before being scrubbed by the various platforms, reveal him to be a faithful Muslim who frequently posted Islamic messaging, as well as comments on the topics of Islamaphobia, the need for increased acceptance of refugees, and his dislike of former President Trump.
Another interesting data point comes from Jack Posobiec, a veteran intelligence officer of the U.S. Navy and currently an investigative reporter for One America News. According to Posobiec, who is well connected within the national security and intelligence communities, Joe Biden has been briefed that "the Colorado shooter had ISIS sympathies."
Further still, according to investigative reporter Laura Loomer, a source within the Boulder Police Department has revealed that the supermarket shooter carried out attack in the name of Islamic State.
Readers may also find it curious that the King Sooper's supermarket is in fact a Kosher friendly store which advertises itself as "Your One-Stop Shop for Kosher Groceries." Add to this the fact that the supermarket is more than 20 miles away from the shooter's place of residence, and that the attack occurred less than a week before Passover begins, and an interesting picture begins to form, despite law enforcement and mainstream media continuing to state that the motive behind the attack is unclear.
Another Attack Narrowly Prevented?
On Wednesday of this week, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified that Atlanta, Georgia police detained a man who entered a Publix supermarket with body armor, 2 rifles and 3 handguns. According to the incident report (PDF) posted on the police department website the following day, a witness entered the men's bathroom and heard what sounded like firearms being loaded. The witness also observed an AR-15 style rifle leaning against the wall. The witness exited the bathroom and notified a member of the store staff, who in turned called the police.
When the first responding officer entered the store, the suspect was just exiting the bathroom and was immediately detained without incident. Upon being searched, the suspect was found with 3 semiautomatic pistols, a revolver, an AR-15 style rifle, and 12-guage shotgun. All semiautomatic pistols were loaded with rounds in their chambers, and the revolver was fully loaded. The rifle and shotgun were also loaded with rounds in their chamber. Also found in the suspects bag was a ski mask.
The suspect, 22 year old Rico Abednego Neequaye Marley, a black male, has been arrested and charged with 5 counts of Criminal Attempt To Commit A Felony, and 6 counts of Possession Of Firearm During Commission of or Attempt To Commit Felony.
Once again, AlertsUSA urges readers to maintain a high level of situational awareness as we move into the warmer months. There are many angry people from every possible political and social leaning looking for an opportunity to vent. This is on top of the ongoing threat from foreign terrorist organizations who will soon find it much easier to enter the U.S. because of chaos unfolding at the southern border, the dramatic increase in the number of refugees being settled in the U.S. from the Middle East and North Africa, the lifting of the so called Muslim ban, as well as the gradual reopening of international travel.
Readers are also cautioned that the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is fast approaching. Each year, AlertsUSA reports on threats and calls for attacks on Western nations by Muslim clerics and propagandists from a variety of transnational terrorist organizations. Ramadan begins at sunset on Thursday, April 23rd and ends at sunset on May 23rd.
AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.