Boulder, Colorado Attack 2025

Overview

On June 1, 2025, a violent attack took place at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado, targeting a group of demonstrators participating in a peaceful weekly event organized by Run for Their Lives, a group advocating for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The assailant, identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national, allegedly used a makeshift flamethrower and threw Molotov cocktails at the crowd, injuring 12 people, including a Holocaust survivor. The attack, which authorities have labeled a "targeted act of terrorism" and a federal hate crime, occurred around 1:26 p.m. local time, disrupting a busy Sunday afternoon in the popular pedestrian shopping district near the Boulder County Courthouse. The FBI and local law enforcement are investigating, with Soliman facing multiple state and federal charges, including attempted murder and hate crime violations. The incident has heightened concerns about rising antisemitic violence in the U.S., particularly following a similar attack on Israeli embassy staff in Washington, D.C., two weeks prior.

The Incident

The attack unfolded during a weekly walk organized by Run for Their Lives, a global initiative started by Israelis in California to raise awareness for hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The Boulder chapter, one of 230 groups worldwide, gathers weekly for a 1-kilometer walk, with participants wearing red T-shirts and carrying flags representing the nationalities of the hostages. On June 1, 2025, as the group marched along the Pearl Street Mall, Mohamed Sabry Soliman approached, shouting “Free Palestine” and “End Zionist!” according to witnesses. He deployed a makeshift flamethrower and hurled incendiary devices, including Molotov cocktails, into the crowd, causing chaos. Video footage captured by bystanders showed black smoke rising, people screaming, and victims writhing on the ground as others poured water to extinguish flames. One elderly woman’s clothes caught fire, requiring bystanders to roll her on the ground to douse the flames. Soliman, who reportedly set himself on fire during the attack, was seen shirtless and holding two clear bottles of transparent liquid before being apprehended by police without resistance.

Victims and Injuries

Initially, eight victims were reported injured, but by Monday, June 2, 2025, Boulder police updated the count to 12 after four additional individuals with minor injuries came forward. The victims, ranging in age from 52 to 88, included four men and four women. Two were airlifted to the burn unit at the University of Colorado in Aurora, with one in critical condition. Among the injured was an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, described by Rabbi Israel Wilhelm of the Chabad at the University of Colorado Boulder as a “very loving person.” Another victim was a university professor. Four others were treated at Boulder Community Health and either transferred or discharged by Sunday evening. The attack’s timing, on the eve of the Jewish holiday Shavuot, amplified its impact on the Jewish community.

Suspect and Charges

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a resident of Colorado Springs, was arrested at the scene and briefly hospitalized for minor injuries before being booked into Boulder County Jail on a $10 million cash-only bond. Soliman, an Egyptian national, entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa in August 2022, which expired in February 2023. He applied for asylum in September 2022, a status that was still pending at the time of the attack. Court documents reveal that Soliman had planned the attack for a year, researching the Run for Their Lives group online and learning to make Molotov cocktails via YouTube videos. He purchased gasoline en route from Colorado Springs to Boulder and waited for the group to assemble. Soliman told investigators he intended to “kill all Zionist people” and expressed a desire to conduct further attacks. He faces 42 state felony charges, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, which could result in up to 384 years in prison if convicted. Additionally, federal prosecutors have charged him with a hate crime based on the victims’ perceived race, religion, or national origin, carrying a potential life sentence.

Investigation and Response

The FBI, led by Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek, is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism, with Deputy Director Dan Bongino emphasizing it as “ideologically motivated violence.” Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn confirmed Soliman acted alone, and 16 unused Molotov cocktails were found near him at the time of his arrest, underscoring the potential for greater harm. The Boulder Police Department cordoned off several downtown blocks, and anti-bomb robotics were deployed to ensure no additional devices remained. The FBI also conducted searches in Colorado Springs, where Soliman resided. Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who knows two victims personally, condemned the attack as a “heinous act of terror” and expressed a desire for stronger preventive measures by federal law enforcement. U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to prosecute Soliman “to the fullest extent of the law” and linked the incident to his broader immigration policy stance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the attack as antisemitic, with Saar calling it “fueled by blood libels spread in the media.” National Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, connected the incident to a “disturbing national and global trend of antisemitic violence,” citing nine terrorist plots or attacks targeting Jews in the U.S. between July 2024 and May 2025.

Community and National Impact

The attack has shaken Boulder’s Jewish community and prompted widespread condemnation. Mayor Aaron Brockett called it “disgusting and appalling,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described it as a “vile, antisemitic act of terror.” The Anti-Defamation League and World Jewish Congress linked it to other recent incidents, including the May 2025 killing of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington, D.C. Run for Their Lives canceled all upcoming events until further notice. In response, police departments in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles increased patrols around religious institutions, with L.A. Mayor Karen Bass decrying the “brutal targeting of elders.” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called for an end to such “brazen” acts, emphasizing the right to peaceful assembly.

Context and Broader Implications

The Boulder attack occurs amid heightened tensions over the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has fueled a rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, continues to reverberate globally. As of June 2025, approximately 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 35 believed dead. Israel’s military response has resulted in over 61,700 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office, intensifying global debates. The Boulder incident, following closely on the heels of the D.C. attack, has renewed calls for action against antisemitism and hate-driven violence, with leaders urging stronger security measures at public gatherings and places of worship.