Armed Man Inside Atlanta Publix Arrested
Two days following a mass shooting at King Soopers supermarket in Colorado that left 10 dead, a man armed with five firearms and wearing body armor was arrested on March 24 after walking into a Publix in Atlanta.
The Atlanta police department (APD) has identified the male suspect as 22-year-old Rico Marley. Preliminary investigation indicates that the man entered the supermarket, located at 1380 Atlantic Drive NW, openly carrying a rifle and entered the bathroom. A witness alerted store management, who then notified police. When Marley exited the bathroom, arriving units immediately detained him.
Responding officers recovered five firearms (two long guns and three pistols) and body armor from Marley’s possession.
Marley has been charged with reckless conduct. The investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa made his first court appearance on March 25 for first-degree murder charges related to the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, that left 10 people dead, including a local policeman.
According to court documents, King Soopers employees told investigators that Alissa shot an elderly man multiple times on March 23 outside the supermarket before going inside, where he opened fire. Another person was found shot in a vehicle next to a car registered to Alissa's brother.
Following Alissa's arrest, a rifle, a green tactical vest and a handgun were recovered inside the grocery store, according to an arrest affidavit.
AP reported that Alissa’s defense lawyer asked for a health assessment “to address his mental illness.” Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said during the March 25 hearing that authorities plan to file more charges but did not provide more details. Alissa remains in custody without bail.
Prvately owned and operated by its more than 225,000 employees, Lakeland, Florida-based Publix has 1,264 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The grocer opened a new store concept in Tampa in December. The company is No. 12 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. King Soopers' parent, The Kroger Co., based in Cincinnati, is No. 3 on PG's list.
