WATCH: FBI To Charge Colorado Firebomber with Hate Crime Plus 42 Felonies

On Sunday, all hell broke loose around 1:30 p.m. local time at the Pearl Street Mall, a popular four-block pedestrian area in downtown Boulder, near the University of Colorado.

During a peaceful weekly walk held by Run for Their Lives, which had been ongoing without incident since late 2023, Mohamed Sabry Soliman used a makeshift flamethrower and threw Molotov cocktails at a group of Jews.

Witnesses reported hearing him shout “Free Palestine” during the assault. They also described horrific scenes, including smoke rising from victims and one woman’s body engulfed in flames, with bystanders pouring water to extinguish the fire.

After the initial attack, he reportedly hid behind bushes, re-emerged to throw another incendiary device, and accidentally set himself on fire, prompting him to remove his shirt and what appeared to be a bulletproof vest.

Scene and Immediate Aftermath:

The attack caused chaos at the Pearl Street Mall, with police receiving 911 calls reporting a man with a “blow torch setting people on fire.” Burnt grass and black marks were visible at the site, and bystanders, including an Israeli visitor, attempted to aid victims. Police cordoned off multiple blocks, evacuated the area, and deployed anti-bomb robotics and tactical teams to investigate. The Boulder Jewish Community Center, four miles away, heightened security, and the weekly Run for Their Lives walk was canceled indefinitely.

Twelve people were injured, with eight initially hospitalized for burns and other injuries. The victims, four men and four women aged 52 to 88, included a Holocaust survivor and a mother-daughter pair. Two victims were airlifted to a burn unit at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora due to serious injuries, while four others were treated and discharged.

By June 2, four additional victims with minor injuries were identified, bringing the total to 12. One victim remained in critical condition, and six were members of Congregation Bonai Shalom, a synagogue four miles from the attack site.

The attack shocked Boulder’s Jewish community, which makes up over 10% of the county’s 330,000 residents and has long been considered a safe haven. Witnesses, including Rachel Amaru, a Run for Their Lives leader, called it a “blatant act of antisemitism.” Six victims were from Congregation Bonai Shalom, and Rabbi Marc Soloway described the imagery of burning bodies as evoking “horrific images of our past.”

According to an FBI affidavit, Soliman confessed to planning the attack for a year, targeting the group because he wanted to “kill all Zionist people” and wished they were “all dead.”

He reportedly prepared by watching YouTube videos on making Molotov cocktails and purchased gasoline en route from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder. At the scene, authorities found 16 unused Molotov cocktails within his reach, indicating premeditation. Soliman had attempted to buy a firearm but was unable to due to his immigration status, leading him to use incendiary devices instead.

Police arrested him without resistance at the scene, and he was briefly hospitalized for minor injuries before being booked into Boulder County Jail. Some witnesses noted Soliman appeared to linger, as if intending to be caught.

The FBI is treating the incident as an act of terrorism and a federal hate crime, citing Soliman’s statements and the targeted nature of the attack. He faces 42 state felony charges, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder (eight with intent and eight with extreme indifference), two counts of using an incendiary device, 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device, and eight counts of first-degree assault. A federal hate crime charge was also filed. Soliman appeared in court on June 2, held on a $10 million bond, with formal state charges to be filed on June 5. Authorities confirmed he acted alone, with no prior law enforcement contact in Boulder, though his home was searched, and his family cooperated.