A 45-year-old Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, has been charged in a violent terror attack that injured eight people in Boulder, Colorado, during a pro-Israel rally on Sunday. Authorities say Soliman, who overstayed a visa after entering the U.S. during the Biden administration, set victims on fire while shouting anti-Israel slogans including “Free Palestine” and “We have to end Zionists, they are killers.”
The victims, aged 52 to 88, were participating in a peaceful demonstration organized by “Run for Their Lives,” a grassroots group that has held weekly events calling for the release of Israeli hostages. The group said this was the first violent incident since it began holding events last October.
Boulder Police arrested Soliman at the scene near the county courthouse on Pearl Street shortly after the attack occurred around 1:26 p.m. He is being held on a $10 million bond at Boulder County Jail and faces multiple felony charges, including use of incendiary devices and two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities have not confirmed whether any victims have died.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called the attack a hate crime, saying it targeted individuals based on their identity. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said the assault is being investigated as “ideologically motivated violence.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed federal counterterrorism officials are coordinating with local law enforcement.
According to DHS and ICE sources, Soliman entered the U.S. at Los Angeles International Airport on a B1/B2 visa on August 27, 2022, and was authorized to remain until February 26, 2023. He never departed and reportedly filed an asylum claim a month after arrival.
In response to the attack, NYPD has increased security at religious sites ahead of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. The incident follows a separate shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., less than two weeks earlier.
