Facebook, which also owns Instagram, removed both pages as part of a companywide policy that seeks to eliminate from view certain content related to crimes and suspected perpetrators, a spokesperson told Newsweek on Tuesday.
The spokesperson said Facebook’s regulations, under a set of protocols pertaining to “dangerous individuals and organizations,” stipulate that all content praising, supporting or representing a mass shooting, or its identified suspect, must be removed from its namesake and affiliate platforms.
Law enforcement released Alissa’s name early on Tuesday, with an affidavit for his arrest. He is accused of killing 10 people during the supermarket shooting and is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one charge of attempted murder.
Facebook will continue to monitor its social platforms for any content that falls within the parameters of its policy against dangerous persons or entities, and it intends to remove additional posts or accounts as necessary. In addition, it will temporarily ban Facebook and Instagram users from creating profiles with the suspect’s name. The company spokesperson confirmed that Facebook is communicating with law enforcement as it works to manage any content violations related to Monday’s shooting.
Multiple law enforcement agencies coordinated their response to the King Soopers shooting, including personnel from the Boulder Police Department, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI’s Denver branch.
Police first arrived at the supermarket after receiving reports of an active shooter inside. The perpetrator reportedly opened fire during an attack that lasted a quarter of an hour, at around 3 p.m. local time. Graphic video footage, recorded by a King Soopers customer and shared online via livestream, surfaced online as the shooting occurred. It showed several bodies lying in the grocery store parking lot as well as inside the building, while gunshots sounded in the background.
Police identified all the individuals killed during the shooting on Tuesday morning, after notifying their next of kin. Boulder police officer Eric Talley was fatally shot along with nine civilians.
“Our hearts go out to all of the victims killed during this senseless act of violence. We are committed to a thorough investigation and will bring justice to each of these families,” Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said in a statement. “The Boulder community is strong and compassionate, and I know we will come together to take care of each other during this time.”
Alissa, a resident of Arvada, near Denver, was arrested before 3:30 p.m. local time on Monday. He was injured during a gunfire exchange with police when officers first entered the King Soopers and was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Boulder police said the suspect was in stable condition Tuesday morning. He was moved to a jail in Boulder.
Newsweek contacted the Boulder Police Department for further comment but did not receive a reply before publication.
This story was updated at 3:42 p.m. with additional details and background information.
