Molotov Attack at Colorado Pro-Israel Event Injures 6; FBI Labels it ‘Targeted Terror’
At least six elderly individuals were injured, one critically, after a man attacked a pro-Israel gathering in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday using Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower. The FBI has classified the assault as a “targeted act of terror.”
The attacker, identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” during the assault near Pearl Street, where participants had gathered to honor Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. The victims, aged between 67 and 88, were rushed to a local hospital with varying degrees of burn injuries.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn confirmed the incident, saying officers were called to the scene after reports of a man “setting people on fire.” Redfearn stated he is “fairly confident” no additional suspects are at large.
Videos circulating online show a shirtless Soliman confronting the group, brandishing both a flamethrower and Molotov cocktail. In one clip, he is heard shouting, “How many children have you killed?” when confronted by a bystander.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the attack a “targeted terror act,” while Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser indicated it is being investigated as a hate crime. “Given the group that was targeted, this qualifies as a hate-driven act,” Weiser said.
Local law enforcement evacuated several blocks around the Pearl Street pedestrian mall following the attack. Armed officers, some with K-9 units, swept the area for further threats. Authorities have urged residents to avoid the area while the investigation continues.
The Jewish community in Boulder issued a statement expressing grief over the attack. “We are saddened and heartbroken that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers participating in the Run for Their Lives event,” the statement read.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis condemned the attack, calling it “a hate-filled act of violence,” and said he is closely monitoring the situation.
The attack comes amid rising political and social tensions in the U.S. following the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitic hate crimes have surged across the country, according to recent data cited by Reuters.
Just days earlier, a separate incident in Washington, D.C., saw two Israeli embassy employees shot and killed while leaving a Jewish advocacy event. These incidents are amplifying fears of increased violence targeting both Jewish and pro-Palestinian communities.
