Information about the suspect arrested for the shooting in Boulder, Colorado.
Fire on the Streets: The Targeted Attack in Boulder
In the heart of Boulder, Colorado, tension ignited on a sunny Sunday. Amidst the bustling Pearl Street pedestrian mall, a group calling for Israeli hostages' release in Gaza faced an unsuspecting storm.
The assailant, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, aged 45, arrived armed with an improvised flamethrower and incendiary devices. Witnesses utter a chilling echo of the chaos that unfolded as Soliman targeted Run for Their Lives, an organization rallying for the immediacy of Israeli hostages' release from Gaza.
Soliman roared "Free Palestine" as he struck, according to Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Denver field office. Authorities believe this lone wolf actor acted independently, with no accomplices.
The FBI swiftly classified the violence as a "targeted terror attack." What followed was a harrowing scene, a mix of desperation and heroism, embodied by the burning victims and the compassionate onlookers who sprang into action.
According to sources, Soliman had armed himself with a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, spent over a year planning his attack, and selected his targets carefully.
Bystanders' recollections paint a picture of pandemonium, with the attacker using both the flamethrower and throwing Molotov cocktails into the crowd. Soliman was apprehended on the scene, his apparel soaked in adrenaline and evidence of his weaponry.
Witnesses shared accounts of the assailant seemingly catching himself on fire during the attack, a ghastly sight that was, fortunately, short-lived as he was quickly brought under control by responding officers.
The consequence of this attack was a wave of injuries that spanned across a wide age range, from 52 to 88. With both minor and serious injuries sustained, it was a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation.
Responding authorities are offering words of hope and resilience, stating, "The immense wave of positive messages we’ve received is another signal of the health and strong spirits of our community."
In the aftermath of the senseless violence, Soliman has been charged with multiple state offenses and a federal hate crime. The prospect of additional charges looms, as the Justice Department prepares to petition a grand jury for an indictment.
Before setting roots in Colorado Springs, Soliman spent 17 years in Kuwait and hails from Egypt. His presence in the United States was not lawful, having expired his visa in February 2023. These facts have piqued the interest of the Department of Homeland Security in the case.
As the investigation unfolds, the world watches on, grappling with the complexities of ideological clashes and the consequences of unchecked aggression.
In California, Los Angeles, the general news and crime-and-justice sectors have been abuzz with the recent Boulder incident. The unsuspecting crowd on Pearl Street, Boulder witnessed a targeted attack, where Soliman, armed with an improvised flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, allegedly played the role of a lone wolf actor, calling for "Free Palestine." As the FBI describes it as a "targeted terror attack," the health-care system is dealing with a surge of injuries, from 52 to 88 years old, reminding everyone of the gravity of such incidents. The law enforcement is pursuing multiple state offenses, federal hate crimes, and the possibility of additional charges against Soliman, who lived unlawfully in the U.S. after spending 17 years in Kuwait and originally hailing from Egypt. The case has also attracted the interest of immigration authorities and is creating a heated debate within political circles on war-and-conflicts and the management of immigration.
