Man charged with hate crime for fiery anti-Semitic attack

The suspect in an anti-Semitic attack in Boulder, Colo., will face federal hate crime charges, according to a Monday statement from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Authorities accused  45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman of a targeted attack that injured multiple people at an outdoor mall. The attacker used a makeshift flamethrower and other incendiary devices. Local authorities arrested him shortly after the attack, saying that he burned victims and yelled, “Free Palestine.” The FBI is treating the incident as an act of terror. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday charged Soliman with state felonies, including first-degree murder, assault, and possession of an incendiary device.

The number of attack victims—initially reported as eight—rose to 12, District Attorney Michael Dougherty said during a Monday news conference. Investigators also recovered over a dozen unused Molotov cocktails after the incident and believe the suspect worked alone, officials said. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn planned to bolster police presence in the community throughout the week. Authorities had no previous contact with the suspect before the attack, Redfearn added.

What is known about Soliman? He was in the United States illegally, said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. The Egyptian native applied for asylum in September 2022 after he entered the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023. 

What do we know about the victims? Only two victims remain hospitalized, Redfearn said Monday. The attacker injured at least four men and four women, ages 52-88, who were participating in an event to raise awareness about Israeli hostages in Gaza. The march was part of the international Run for Their Lives event organized by members of the Jewish community. Participants were calling for the return of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 attack. One of the victims was a Holocaust survivor, according to ABC News. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said he was praying for the victims of the attack and condemned violence perpetrated against Jews.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report about one of the murdered Israeli Embassy staffers who believed in Jesus.