BOULDER, Colo. — Authorities revealed Monday that a man impersonated a gardener to approach a group in Boulder who were conducting their weekly protest for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, with a plan to assassinate them using Molotov cocktails. However, his plan faltered, and he only managed to throw two of the 18 incendiary devices he had prepared into the crowd of about 20 individuals, while shouting “Free Palestine” before setting himself on fire, police noted. The assault resulted in injuries to twelve people.
The alleged attacker carried gas in a backpack sprayer but reportedly mentioned to investigators he refrained from spraying it on anyone but himself, citing his intent to die at the scene. “He believed he had to do it, felt compelled to do it, and wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t,” police quoted in an affidavit. Despite his intentions, he didn’t fully carry out the plan “because he got scared and had never harmed anyone before.” Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused of meticulously planning the attack over more than a year, specifically targeting what he deemed a “Zionist group,” according to court documents charging him with a federal hate crime. His first name is also reported as Mohammed in certain legal documents.
During a Monday press conference, Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado noted that when interviewed post-attack, Soliman expressed a desire for all of them to die, showing no remorse and stating willingness to repeat the act. Both federal and state prosecutors have separately charged Soliman with hate crime and attempted murder, alongside possible additional federal charges as the Justice Department seeks a grand jury indictment. In a state court appearance via video from the Boulder County Jail, Soliman wore an orange jumpsuit, and another court hearing is slated for Thursday. The court set a $10 million cash-only bond, prosecutors disclosed.
An FBI affidavit reports Soliman confessed after arrest, driven by a wish “to kill all Zionist people,” a term referencing the movement to establish and protect a Jewish state in Israel. Soliman’s lawyer, public defender Kathryn Herold, declined to comment following the hearing. Soliman resided illegally in the U.S. after entering on a B2 visa in August 2022 which expired in February 2023, stated Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, in a social media post.
This incident of violence unfolded at Boulder’s popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall amid ongoing tensions from the Israel-Hamas conflict, contributing to a rise in antisemitic violence within the U.S. The attack coincided with the start of the Jewish holiday Shavuot just a week after a man was charged with fatally shooting two Israeli embassy staffers outside a Washington Jewish museum while shouting “Free Palestine.”
Officials reported the attack injured victims aged 52 to 88, with injuries ranging from serious to minor. Six individuals were hospitalized; four have since been released. Miri Kornfeld, a Denver-based group organizer, confirmed that the clothing of one person who remains hospitalized caught fire.
The group, known as Run For Their Lives, was concluding their demonstration when video footage shows a witness alerting others to the Molotov cocktail attack. Police arrived to confront a bare-chested suspect holding containers in each hand. Witness Alex Osante from San Diego reported hearing a bottle break followed by a loud boom and then screaming across the mall. Video by Osante showed people pouring water on a woman on the ground who had caught fire.
Soliman reportedly wore an orange vest to mimic a gardener and approach the group. After throwing two of the incendiary devices, setting himself on fire with the second, he removed his shirt and vest before being arrested without apparent resistance, as seen in video footage filmed by Osante. District Attorney Michael Dougherty confirmed law enforcement recovered 16 unused Molotov cocktails made from glass bottles and jars with clear liquid and red rags.
Police learned that Soliman researched how to make the incendiary devices on YouTube, with a plan in place for over a year to act after his daughter’s graduation. Investigators were told Soliman had taken a concealed carry class but was denied gun purchase due to his illegal U.S. residency. Authorities believe Soliman acted alone. He sustained injuries during the assault and was treated at a hospital, with no details offered on the injuries; however, booking photos displayed a bandage over one ear.
In some photos and videos taken immediately after the attack, Soliman, shirtless with apparent burns on one arm, is seen pacing and engaging in shouting matches with bystanders recording him. Born in Egypt, Soliman relocated to Colorado Springs three years ago with his family after living 17 years in Kuwait. His neighbor, Shameka Pruiett, described Soliman and his family as cordial despite past disturbances that led to police involvement.
On the day of the attack, law enforcement vehicles were seen awaiting throughout, eventually using a megaphone to prompt anyone inside Soliman’s home to exit without response. DHS has yet to provide further information on Soliman’s asylum application from 2022 and work authorization obtained in March 2023, both now expired.