What we know about the Boulder attack
- The man suspected of launching a fire attack yesterday in Boulder, Colorado, on a group calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza is in custody.
- Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was charged with a federal hate crime today. He was also charged in Colorado with attempted first-degree murder.
- Soliman also faces potential charges of assault, causing serious injury to an at-risk adult or someone older than 70 and other felony offenses.
- Twelve people were injured in what Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose mother was born in a concentration camp and whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, said appeared to be an antisemitic "hate crime."
- The injured are aged 52 to 88. One was in critical condition last evening, an FBI official said.
- FBI Director Kash Patel called the incident "a targeted terror attack" on X.
Suspect had 'no concerning feedback' while driving for Uber, company says
Mohamed Sabry Soliman had “no concerning feedback” after he began driving for Uber in the spring of 2023, a company spokesperson said.
As is required for all of the platform’s drivers, he passed a criminal and driving history background check and provided photo identification and a valid Social Security number, the spokesperson said.
“Mr. Soliman met all the requirements in accordance with Colorado state law,” the spokesperson said.
His account has since been banned, and the company has been in touch with law enforcement, the spokesperson said.
Suspect seemed 'out of place' seconds before attack, survivor recalls
Reporting from Boulder, Colorado
Mohamed Sabry Soliman was dressed like a groundskeeper and seemed out of place in Boulder moments before his attack, a survivor said.
“When I walked by the gentleman, I didn’t know who he was but thought he was out of place and odd,” said Lisa Turnquist, 66. “It wasn’t 10 seconds later, I felt fluid on my leg and another lady had been burned.”
She said she was with about 20 other members of Boulder Run for Their Lives when they were attacked. Turnquist was not injured.
After the attack, she said, Soliman stood around and waited as if he wanted to get caught.
Turnquist, who is Jewish and lives in Louisville, Kentucky, was back at the crime scene this afternoon placing flowers and creating a makeshift memorial.
“We just want the hostages home,” she said of the group's reason for walking yesterday. “This is when we have to get up and we have to stand out and push back. We can’t let Boulder tell us. We can’t let the university students tell us that we can’t do stuff like this.”
Suspect wasn't on law enforcement radar, officials say
Federal and local authorities said Soliman was not on their radar before yesterday's attack.
While investigators are examining the suspect's previous whereabouts, Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said his officers had no previous “contacts” with him.
Mark Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Denver office, said at a news conference that Soliman was not known to a regional team led by his agency, the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
In a statement to NBC News, the agency said it has long warned that lone actors and small groups of conspirators are a challenge to investigate because there may be few clues known about their intentions.
“We remind members of the public that if you observe any suspicious activity to quickly report it to law enforcement,” the agency said. “The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to protect our communities against terrorism and other threats.”
12 people were injured in attack, authorities say
An additional four people were injured in the attack, bringing the total number to 12, officials said today.
At a news conference, Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn described the newly identified victims' injuries as minor and said authorities learned of them when they came forward to be interviewed.
Eight people were hospitalized, including two who were airlifted to Aurora, Redfearn said.
Jewish advocacy groups: ‘We’re on edge, and for good reason’
Jewish organizations are advising extra precautions for religious events after the Boulder attack. But to truly stop antisemitism, they said, everyone of all faiths needs to be involved.
“This is a wake-up call — not just for the Jewish community,” said Oren Segal, the Anti-Defamation League’s senior vice president for counterextremism and intelligence. “It’s a wake-up call for all people, whether it’s policymakers, whether it’s allies, other communities, that you can’t just speak out against antisemitism after an incident happens.”
Shira Hutt, the executive vice president of the nonprofit Jewish Federations of North America, said it’s critical to increase funding for local law enforcement so it can more closely monitor Jewish gatherings and for the FBI to take a more proactive approach to preventing attacks.
“We are horrified, we’re anxious, we’re on edge, and for good reason,” she said. “Not only do we need to stand strong and stand together with others to make sure that antisemitism isn’t being normalized in this way, but we also need to make sure to do everything possible to keep our communities safe.”
State of Colorado charges suspect with attempted first-degree murder
The state of Colorado charged Soliman with eight counts of first-degree murder (after deliberation) criminal attempt and eight counts of first-degree murder (extreme indifference) criminal attempt, as well as first-degree assault and possession of an incendiary device.
The district attorney’s office requested $10 million cash bond, according to an affidavit for an arrest warrant.
Run for Their Lives organizer recalls 'trying to pull friends out of the fire'
Omer Shachar, a co-lead of the Denver and Boulder Run for Their Lives, recalled "trying to pull friends out of the fire."
"This is what is stuck in my head," he told NBC News.
Shachar also thanked people in the community for their help.
"They handled the situation. They helped their friends to try to mitigate the risk and give first aid until first responders arrived," he said. "I appreciate everyone that could help us … people on the street that came with water and just brought bottles and more water to pour on the people that got injured."
Residents of Boulder and visitors 'rattled' by attack
Reporting from Boulder, Colorado
Pearl Street Mall, known for its dozens of retail stores, shops, boutiques and art galleries in the heart of downtown Boulder, was mostly quiet today, with some curious residents and out-of-town visitors strolling by to grasp and make sense of the violent attack.
“Suddenly, the reality of the world we live in comes home where you think it’s not,” Boulder resident Jasmine Summers said. “I needed to come back here today and reclaim my safe place.”
She called Pearl Street her happy place. But Sunday’s attack “rattled” her.
Kyle and Elizabeth Shorter were evacuated from downtown minutes after their wedding ended.
“We were taking wedding pictures,” said Kyle, 26, who said they missed out on their dinner reservations. “There was a lot of confusion, and nobody knew what was going on.”
The couple live in Brighton, a Denver suburb, but often visit Boulder.
They said they’ve seen the protesting group at least a dozen times.
“Every time we’ve come up here the past couple of years, they’ve always been here,” said Elizabeth, 26. "They’ve never been aggressive or chanting, just simply walking."
Officials to hold news conference to announce charges against suspect
State and federal officials will hold a news conference this afternoon to announce state and federal charges against Soliman.
The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office and the police department will join the FBI and Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for a joint news conference 2:30 p.m. local time (4:30 p.m. ET).
Trump says Boulder attack highlights need for his border policies
Trump wrote on Truth Social that yesterday’s attack on people who were shining a light on the hostages still held in Gaza “will not be tolerated.”
“He came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under ‘TRUMP’ Policy,” the president said about the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who is potentially facing two counts of first-degree murder for the attack in Boulder, Colorado.
“Acts of Terrorism will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law,” Trump wrote. “This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland. My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!”
Soliman used a makeshift flamethrower to attack the peaceful demonstrators, the FBI said, resulting in eight people being hospitalized.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Soliman had an asylum claim pending since September 2022. He entered the country on a B2 visa, which allows temporary visits, in August 2022, but that expired in February 2023, she said.
A representative for former President Joe Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s post.
Suspect planned attack for a year, had 14 unlit Molotov cocktails, criminal complaint says
Soliman told investigators that he had planned the attack for a year, according to a federal criminal complaint that said the suspect arrived at the gathering about five minutes before it started.
He told investigators that he looked up videos on how to make Molotov cocktails on YouTube and purchased the items he needed to make them, the complaint stated.
He’s accused of throwing two Molotov cocktails at the participants while yelling “Free Palestine!”
According to the complaint, a black plastic container with a yellow top was found near where he was arrested. The container contained at least 14 unlit Molotov cocktails, “comprised of glass wine carafe bottles or Ball jars containing clear liquid and red rags hanging out of the bottles,” it said.
A “backpack weed sprayer, potentially containing a flammable substance,” was located near the container, the complaint stated. The liquid in the bottles and the weed sprayer was gasoline, it said.
Soliman allegedly told investigators that he “wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” according to the complaint.
He “stated he would do it again,” it said.
“Soliman stated that he hated the Zionist group and did this because he hated this group and needed to stop them from taking over ‘our land,’ which he explained to be Palestine,” the complaint said. “He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack.”
He told investigators that he left an iPhone containing messages to his family hidden in a desk drawer at the Colorado Springs home he shares with his wife and five children. He also said he left a journal at the home, according to the complaint.
Soliman charged with federal hate crime
Soliman was charged with a federal hate crime following Sunday's attack, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Flamethrowers are largely unregulated in U.S.
Flamethrowers are largely unregulated and are not covered by federal statutes that make it a crime to build or use them as incendiary devices, including bombs. Flamethrowers are sold commercially in the U.S.
Maryland, however, bans them while California requires a permit.
Colorado A.G. says attack has 'every single hallmark of being a hate crime'
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said the attack was "very cruel" and has "every single hallmark of being a hate crime."
"This was a peaceful march done every single week by the Jewish community, calling out the injustices of the hostages, and they were attacked because of who they are," he said on MSNBC. "It is heart-wrenching for all of us in Colorado."
Weiser said the conditions of the victims vary. One person is in critical condition.
"It is repulsive," he said of the attack. "It's got to be condemned. There's no possible justification for this."
Photo of attack suspect
NBC News has obtained this photo of Boulder attack suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman.
Suspect had an expired visa and a pending asylum claim, DHS says
Mohamed Soliman, who is suspected to have carried out yesterday's attack in Boulder, Colorado, entered the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
"The Colorado Terrorist attack suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country," she said in a post on X. "He filed for asylum in September 2022."
McLaughlin told NBC News the suspect's asylum claim was pending. While his visa had expired, he had not yet exhausted all legal routes to staying in the U.S.
Schumer and other lawmakers condemn ‘antisemitic act of terror’ in Boulder
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., condemned the violent attack in Boulder, Colorado, against a group of people protesting the holding of hostages in Gaza as an “antisemitic act of terror.”
Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S., said in a statement last night that “the Jewish community is once again shattered by pain and heartbreak” less than two weeks after two Israeli Embassy staff members were gunned down in Washington, D.C., outside a Jewish museum.
“Tonight, a peaceful demonstration was targeted in a vile, antisemitic act of terror. Once again, Jews are left reeling from repeated acts of violence and terror,” Schumer said. “When antisemitism is allowed to fester, when it spreads unchecked, and when too many look the other way, history has shown us where it leads: to hatred, to violence, to terror.”
Schumer noted that last night marked beginning of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which he called “a sacred holiday of learning, renewal, and unity.”
“Antisemitism, plain and simple, has no place in America. I am praying for the victims’ recovery and am in touch with the FBI as we closely monitor the situation,” he said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., also denounced the attack, which he called an “unconscionable act of terror,” saying in a statement that as Boulder residents “gathered on the eve of the holiday of Shavuot to raise awareness for the hostages still being held captive in Gaza, the peacefulness of their assembly was shattered.”
“Antisemitism has no place in our nation or anywhere throughout the world. It must be crushed. We stand with the Jewish community today and always,” he said.
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., another Jewish lawmaker, said that the latest attacks happen “when antisemitic hate is normalized.”
“This is what happens when too many remain silent in response to antisemitic hate,” he said.
White House says suspect in ‘terror attack’ was an illegal immigrant
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said late last night that the suspect in what he called “a terror attack” was an illegal immigrant.
“He was granted a tourist visa by the Biden Administration and then he illegally overstayed that visa,” Miller said in a post on X. “In response, the Biden Administration gave him a work permit.”
Miller ended his post by saying: “Suicidal migration must be fully reversed.”
Suspect to appear in court later today
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the suspect in the Colorado fire attack, is set to appear in court today at 1:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET), according to court records.
Soliman was taken into police custody shortly after the attack, and now faces a potential slew of charges including assault, causing serious injury and two counts of first-degree murder.
Witness describes the aftermath in graphic detail
A witness, who identified himself as Brian H. because he did not want his last name publicized, said he was eating lunch with his wife and 4-year-old at a food hall about 100 yards away from the Boulder courthouse when a woman ran past them “saying that there was a man who was throwing fire at people,” he said.
“My immediate thought was [to] see if there’s anything I could do to help,” the 37-year-old added.
When he walked over, he said he spotted a man yelling at the crowds gathered on the scene while a few others tended to the burn victims on the ground.
“He was yelling at the people, saying, 'F--- you Zionist, you’re killing all my people,'” Brian said, adding that he began recording the man on his phone before calling the police, in case he “tried to run for it before the police got there.”
Among the victims was an elderly woman who was not moving at all, Brian said, adding that people began ushering buckets of water, some with ice, over to her. “I went and grabbed one of the buckets,” he said, adding, “I started scooping out water from the fountain and ... tried to start pouring it on [the victims’] legs to make them more comfortable.”
Another burn victim, a man who appeared to be in his 50s or 60s, was “just kind of in shock,” he said, adding, “His leg, from ankle or foot, all the way up to his buttocks, was melted.”
Brian, who appeared visibly shaken while recounting the graphic details, said many of the victims appeared to have deep cuts in their legs and were bleeding from their feet. “This other woman had burned over her hands, ankles, feet, elbows,” he said, adding that “they looked stunned, confused.”
He said that the police arrived after about 10 minutes to quickly disarm and apprehend the attacker, who was previously armed with two bottles of what appeared to be alcohol. “I saw him ... looking like he was about to throw it at people, and they looked exactly like what I would think would be a Molotov cocktail,” he said, adding that he initially mistook the man for a gardener because he was wearing an orange vest.
Brian, who identified as a Jewish man who grew up in Ohio and who lived in Israel and Chicago before moving to Denver, said he was “saddened and pessimistic” about what the attack “means for us as Jewish people, what it means for our future in this country.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis: 'Heinous and targeted attack on the Jewish community'
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis called yesterday's attack a "heinous and targeted act on the Jewish community."
In a statement posted on X, he said that his administration was working with law enforcement and thanked the first responders who were on the scene to help victims.
"As the Jewish community reels from the recent antisemitic murders in Washington, D.C, it is unfathomable that the community is facing another antisemitic attack here in Boulder on the eve of the holiday of Shavuot," he wrote.
'I saw this big fire go up': Witness describes attack on Israeli hostage advocates in Colorado
One witness described the chaos in the aftermath of the fire attack on Israeli hostage advocates in Boulder, Colorado. "I saw this big fire go up," eyewitness Brooke Coffman said.
Coffman ran over to the scene from about 100 feet away after she heard screams. She spotted two older women among the victims who had stripped off their pants. "They had really bad burns all up on their legs," she said.
One of the women was rolling around in the grass while screaming in pain, she added. “I could not even make out her face ... It just wasn’t a good scene, and she definitely needed help,” she said.
Referring to the perpetrator of the attack, Coffman added that when she looked over, she saw a shirtless man waving a glass container that she assumed contained gasoline. “I couldn’t make out anything he was saying, but he was just screaming,” she said.
Boulder police chief describes the moment officers took suspect into custody
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn told reporters yesterday afternoon that initial calls told police that "people were being set on fire" and that officers found multiple victims with burns and other injuries.
Suspect charged with murder after fire attack on Israeli hostage advocates in Colorado
A man who shouted "free Palestine" and used a "makeshift flamethrower" to attack people marching in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Colorado authorities said early Monday.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said on its daily booking sheet early on Monday that Mohamed Sabry Soliman, of El Paso County, Colorado, had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder — one with "extreme indifference" and one listed as "deliberation with intent — nonfamily — gun."
Soliman, 45, is also charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of causing serious injury to an at-risk adult or someone over 70 and one count of using explosives or incendiary devices.