Boulder shooting suspect’s former teammate says he was ‘kind of scary to be around’

Peter Sblendorio

Former wrestling teammates of the Boulder shooting suspect described volatile incidents that allegedly occurred when they were in high school.

One ex-teammate from Arvada West High School told the Denver Post he didn’t enjoy being with Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, who is charged with 10 counts of murder following the horrific attack at a King Soopers grocery store Monday.

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa


Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa

“His senior year, during the wrestle-offs to see who makes varsity, he actually lost his match and quit the team and yelled out in the wrestling room that he was, like, going to kill everybody,” Dayton Marvel told the newspaper. “Nobody believed him. We were just all kind of freaked out by it, but nobody did anything about it.”

Police on Tuesday named Alissa, 21, as the suspect in the shooting that killed 10 people, including responding officer Eric Talley, a day earlier.

Mavel described Alissa as being “kind of scary to be around.”

Firefighters salute as a procession carrying the body of a police officer leaves King Sooper's grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Firefighters salute as a procession carrying the body of a police officer leaves King Sooper's grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
A procession of emergency vehicles leaves a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people were killed in a shooting, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
A procession of emergency vehicles leaves a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people were killed in a shooting, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Firefighters salute an ambulance as it leaves a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people have been killed in a shooting, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Firefighters salute an ambulance as it leaves a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people have been killed in a shooting, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Boulder Police Department Commander Kerry Yamaguchi addresses the media after a gunman opened fire at King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
Boulder Police Department Commander Kerry Yamaguchi addresses the media after a gunman opened fire at King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
Smashed windows are left at the scene after a gunman opened fire at King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
Smashed windows are left at the scene after a gunman opened fire at King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
SWAT teams descend from the roof on a fire ladder after a gunman opened fire at a King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
SWAT teams descend from the roof on a fire ladder after a gunman opened fire at a King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
A police officer checks cars in the area after a gunman opened fire at King Sooper grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
A police officer checks cars in the area after a gunman opened fire at King Sooper grocery store on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Ten people, including a police officer, were killed in the attack.
Law enforcement officers stand by during a news conference outside of King Soopers grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Law enforcement officers stand by during a news conference outside of King Soopers grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Police continue their investigation at a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people were killed in a shooting on Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police continue their investigation at a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people were killed in a shooting on Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police officers secure the perimeter of the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021 after reports of an active shooter.
Police officers secure the perimeter of the King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado on March 22, 2021 after reports of an active shooter.
A SWAT team member runs toward a King Soopers grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
A SWAT team member runs toward a King Soopers grocery store where a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people were killed in a shooting, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where authorities say multiple people were killed in a shooting, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police stand outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police stand outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Shoppers are evacuated from a King Soopers grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Dozens of police responded to the afternoon shooting in which at least one witness described three people who appeared to be wounded, according to published reports.
Shoppers are evacuated from a King Soopers grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Dozens of police responded to the afternoon shooting in which at least one witness described three people who appeared to be wounded, according to published reports.
Police respond to the scene of a King Soopers grocery store after a shooting on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Police respond to the scene of a King Soopers grocery store after a shooting on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Healthcare workers walk out of a King Soopers Grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Dozens of police responded to the afternoon shooting in which at least one witness described three people who appeared to be wounded, according to published reports.
Healthcare workers walk out of a King Soopers Grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Dozens of police responded to the afternoon shooting in which at least one witness described three people who appeared to be wounded, according to published reports.
Two police officers embrace after a gunman opened fire at a King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Two police officers embrace after a gunman opened fire at a King Soopers grocery store on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Healthcare workers walk out of a King Sooper's Grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Healthcare workers walk out of a King Sooper's Grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.
Police work on the scene outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 23, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 23, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
People are led out of a King Soopers grocery store after a shooting in the store, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
People are led out of a King Soopers grocery store after a shooting in the store, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Shattered windows are shown at a King Soopers grocery store after a shooting on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Shattered windows are shown at a King Soopers grocery store after a shooting on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Healthcare workers and shoppers are tended to after being evacuated from a King Soopers grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Healthcare workers and shoppers are tended to after being evacuated from a King Soopers grocery store after a gunman opened fire on March 22, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado.
Police cars are parked outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police cars are parked outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police cars are parked outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police cars are parked outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police stand outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police stand outside a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Police work on the scene outside of a King Soopers grocery store where a shooting took place Monday, March 22, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.

A different ex-teammate said Alissa once got into a fight with another wrestler after losing a match.

“He was always talking about (how) people were looking at him and there was no one ever where he was pointing people out,” Angel Hernandez told the Denver Post. “We always thought he was messing around with us or something.”

Residents leave bouquets on a police cruiser parked outside the Boulder Police Department after an officer was one of the victims of a mass shooting at a King Soopers grocery store Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.
Residents leave bouquets on a police cruiser parked outside the Boulder Police Department after an officer was one of the victims of a mass shooting at a King Soopers grocery store Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Boulder, Colo.


Residents leave bouquets on a police cruiser parked outside the Boulder Police Department after an officer was one of the victims of a mass shooting at a King Soopers grocery store Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (David Zalubowski/)

Authorities have not released a motive for Monday’s supermarket shooting.

In an arrest warrant affidavit, investigators said Alissa purchased a Ruger AR556 pistol on March 16.

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