Wow. In either case I find this somewhat startling. It's also interesting that his mother immediately opined that he was the shooter. I wonder if he's another Jared Loughner (aka nutcase).
On the one hand I'd just as soon he were dead, so we wouldn't be faced with a trial, but on the other, someone as bright as this could, if motivated, probably teach us a fair amount about what led to the shooting.
I have to assume this action was the product of a diseased mind, but not necessarily one which would qualify him as legally insane and thus not responsible for his actions. In any event I very much doubt that he will ever walk as a free man again - the only question is whether he'll spend the rest of his life in prison or in a security hospital. Colorado does have the death penalty but they haven't executed anyone in 17 years. I would expect the prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in this case as a matter of course unless he is clearly off his rocker.