A man from Boulder, Colorado, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, has been charged with attempted murder, assault, cruelty to animals, and explosives crimes for throwing Molotov cocktails at demonstrators calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The incident took place at a weekly demonstration at the Pearl Street pedestrian mall. Soliman, who posed as a gardener, had been planning the attack for a year.
Investigators revealed that Soliman had intended to harm all 20 participants at the demonstration but only managed to throw two Molotov cocktails while shouting “Free Palestine.” He did not follow through with his full plan out of fear, as he had never harmed anyone before, according to police.
Soliman expressed his desire to “kill all Zionist people” to authorities and showed no remorse for his actions. The attack resulted in injuries to 15 individuals and a dog. The victims, including eight women and seven men aged 25 to 88, suffered varying degrees of impact from the attack.
In a surprising turn of events, Soliman’s wife and five children, who are Egyptian like him, were taken into custody by immigration officials but have not been charged in connection with the attack. A lawsuit was filed to prevent their deportation, arguing that it is unjust to punish them for Soliman’s actions.
Before moving to Colorado Springs, Soliman had spent 17 years in Kuwait and arrived in the U.S. in 2022 on a tourist visa that expired in 2023. He had applied for asylum and received a work authorization, which has also expired. His wife, a network engineer, holds a pending EB-2 visa and is listed as a dependent on Soliman’s asylum application along with their children.
A vigil was held at the Jewish Community Center in Boulder to honor the victims of the firebombing attack. Attendees prayed, sang, and listened to emotional testimonies from victims and witnesses of the incident. One victim described the chaos and horror of the attack, with flames engulfing a woman standing nearby.
The community came together to show support for the victims and condemn the violent actions of Soliman. The investigation into the attack is ongoing, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 15. The family’s immigration status and the legal proceedings surrounding their involvement in the case continue to unfold.
