Boulder Colorado: A man shouting “Free Palestine” threw incendiary devices into a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday afternoon, injuring eight people, including a Holocaust survivor, in what the FBI is investigating as a terrorist attack.
The attack occurred around 1:26 p.m. local time at Pearl Street Mall, a popular outdoor pedestrian area in downtown Boulder. Authorities say the suspect used a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to ignite the crowd, setting off panic and fires throughout the area.
Victims ranged in age from 52 to 88 years old, according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn, who described the scene as chaotic and deeply disturbing. Three victims sustained serious burn injuries, with witnesses reporting people engulfed in flames and crying out for help.
Who Is the Suspect?
The attacker has been identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, an Egyptian national who had been living in Colorado Springs. According to multiple reports, Soliman entered the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa in 2022, which expired in February 2023, though he was reportedly granted a work permit after that under Biden-era immigration policy.
Soliman was arrested at the scene and taken to a local hospital for injuries. Footage from the attack shows him shirtless, shouting, and holding two bottles with cloth wicks, advancing toward the crowd. He has not yet been formally charged, but officials said he will be “held fully accountable.”
What Happened in Boulder?
The victims were part of a weekly gathering organized by Run for Their Lives, a volunteer group that hosts walks in solidarity with Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. These peaceful events had been occurring regularly at the Pearl Street Mall, which draws both residents and tourists in the heart of Boulder.
The FBI’s Denver office confirmed it is treating the incident as a suspected act of terrorism, citing early evidence of ideologically motivated violence.
“It is clear this was a targeted act of violence,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common.”
Authorities evacuated multiple blocks following the attack. Videos from the scene show smoke in the air, grass fires, and multiple victims lying on the ground as bystanders rush to help with water and aid.
National and International Reaction
The attack comes just one week after a fatal shooting outside a Jewish cultural event in Washington, D.C., also involving a suspect shouting “Free Palestine.” U.S. officials are increasingly concerned about a rise in antisemitic attacks tied to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began in 2023.
Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the Colorado incident, calling it “pure antisemitism fueled by blood libels spread in the media.”
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said the attack appears to be a hate crime, and urged calm.
“People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer,” Weiser said. “Hate has no place in Colorado.”
The Justice Department also issued a statement calling the incident a “needless act of ideologically driven violence,” and affirmed its commitment to investigating crimes motivated by religious or ethnic hatred.