Boulder attack victims now at least 15 people and 1 dog
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Total number of victims in Sunday’s Pearl Street terror attack increases to 15 people, 1 dog: Boulder Co. DA
The victims range from 25 to 88 years old. Eight of them are women and seven are men, the FBI Denver office confirmed. The Boulder DA plans to officially file state charges against the suspect on Thursday. The formal filing will include attempted first-degree murder, in addition to other related charges. He was also charged with a federal hate crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.. The local chapter of Run For Their Lives held its weekly walk to draw attention to Israeli hostages held in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas War. The suspect arrived shortly before 1 p.m. dressed like a gardener, so he could get as close to the group as possible.
The victims range from 25 to 88 years old. Eight of them are women and seven are men, the FBI Denver office confirmed.
BREAKING: There are now 15 identified victims of the Pearl Street Mall attack, plus one dog. The victims are 25 to 88 years old, eight female and seven male. Find info from Boulder DA here: https://t.co/nsa3jhQScy Find info from Colorado court here: https://t.co/01GFq3NcTU pic.twitter.com/5VCMhJWgTE — FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) June 4, 2025
On Thursday, the Boulder DA plans to officially file state charges against the suspect in Sunday’s attack — Mohamed Sabry Soliman. The formal filing will include attempted first-degree murder, in addition to other related charges. He was also charged with a federal hate crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Initially, eight people were reportedly injured and hospitalized. That number increased to 12 on Monday during a press conference with District Attorney Michael Dougherty. Since then, three more were identified.
According to a state affidavit for Soliman’s arrest, on Sunday afternoon, the local chapter of Run For Their Lives held its weekly walk to draw attention to Israeli hostages held in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas War.
Soliman arrived shortly before 1 p.m. dressed like a gardener, according to his arrest affidavit, so he could get as close to the group as possible. He had purchased flowers from Home Depot and a backpack sprayer he filled with gas, the document reads.
Boulder police responded to the incident around 1:30 p.m. Sunday after receiving reports of a man with a “blow torch” who was setting people on fire and throwing Molotov cocktails, the affidavit says.
At the scene, law enforcement found a plastic container that contained at least 14 unlit Molotov cocktails, the affidavit reads. District Attorney Dougherty said later in the day that two additional ones were found, bringing the total to 16. Nearby, authorities found a backpack weed sprayer, which investigators believe may have contained flammable substance, the federal affidavit continues.
“The clear liquid in the glass bottles and weed sprayer were determined to be 87 octane gasoline, which was determined to contain xylene based on a field test,” the document reads.
Soliman explained that he “hated” the group and wanted to stop them from taking over “our land,” which he said was Palestine, according to a federal arrest affidavit.
Soliman was born in Egypt and moved to Kuwait, then to the United States in 2022 on a tourism visa, according to DHS. The department noted Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and has been living in the U.S. illegally since his visa expired in February 2023. The results of that asylum claim are not clear.
Below is a map of 2024 antisemitic incidents in Colorado. Locations are broken down by city — locations are not exact.
Continuing coverage:
Boulder attack latest: Number of victims climbs to 15 – Connect FM
Fifteen people, ranging in age from 25 to 88 years old, were hurt in the Sunday afternoon attack. The suspect tried to buy a handgun at a sporting goods store in November. He was denied based on National Instant Criminal Background Check System. He has been charged with a federal hate crime and state charges, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, according to court documents. He appeared in court virtually on Monday, but has yet to enter a plea.. The father of five was born in Egypt and lived in Kuwait for 17 years before moving to Colorado Springs three years ago. His wife and children are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the family is being processed for expedited removal.
(BOULDER, Colo.) — The number of victims in the Boulder, Colorado, Molotov cocktail attack has climbed to 15, prosecutors said.
Fifteen people, ranging in age from 25 to 88 years old, as well as one dog were hurt in the Sunday afternoon attack outside the Boulder courthouse, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday.
The suspect tried to buy a handgun at a sporting goods store in November but was denied, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Mohamed Soliman — who was arrested Sunday after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails– tried to buy the weapon on Nov. 22, 2024, but was denied based on National Instant Criminal Background Check System, according to the bureau.
The reason for his denial wasn’t disclosed. He didn’t appeal the denial, the bureau said.
About a month later, on Dec. 30, 2024, CBI denied his application for a concealed handgun permit.
After Soliman was arrested, he allegedly told investigators that he took a concealed carry class to learn how to fire a gun, but “had to use Molotov cocktails [for the attack] after he was denied the purchase of a gun due to him not being a legal citizen,” state court documents said.
Soliman said he used YouTube to learn how to make the Molotov cocktails, documents said. Sixteen unused Molotov cocktails were within “arm’s reach” when he was arrested, the FBI said.
Soliman is accused of attacking a group advocating for the hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas.
Soliman has been charged with a federal hate crime and state charges, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, according to court documents. He appeared in court virtually on Monday. He has yet to enter a plea.
Soliman told police “he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” court documents said. “SOLIMAN stated he would do it (conduct an attack) again.”
He “said this had nothing to do with the Jewish community and was specific in the Zionist group supporting the killings of people on his land (Palestine),” documents said.
Soliman, a husband and father of five, was born in Egypt and lived in Kuwait for 17 years before moving to Colorado Springs three years ago, court documents said.
Soliman has been in the U.S. on an expired tourist visa, officials said. He was granted a work permit, but that had also expired in March.
His wife and children are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the family is being processed for expedited removal, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Soliman allegedly said he had been planning Sunday’s attack for one year but waited until his daughter graduated from high school last Thursday to carry it out, state and federal documents said.
ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey, Emily Shapiro and Luke Barr contributed to this report.
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Attack in Boulder, Colorado, burns people at march for Israeli hostages, officials say; suspect charged
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged with multiple felony counts, including attempted murder. Soliman allegedly heard yelling “Free Palestine” during the attack, according to the FBI. Witnesses said the suspect used a “makeshift flamethrower” and threw Molotov cocktails that burned multiple victims, police and the FBI said. Police initially said eight people were injured; they raised the total to 12 on Monday afternoon and then 15 on Wednesday after officials said more people with less serious injuries came forward. The walk to remember the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza was taking place in Boulder’s downtown at the time of the attack. the FBI is calling the incident a “targeted act of violence” and it is being investigated as an act of terrorism, the FBI says. The FBI said later Sunday night it was “conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity related to the attack on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder” in El Paso County, Colorado, where Colorado Springs is located. The victims included eight women and seven men, whose ages range from 25 to 88.
Witnesses said the suspect used a “makeshift flamethrower” and threw Molotov cocktails that burned multiple victims, police and the FBI said. Boulder police initially said eight people were injured; they raised the total to 12 on Monday afternoon and then 15 on Wednesday after officials said more people with less serious injuries came forward.
The suspect was identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Michalek said Sunday evening. Soliman was allegedly heard yelling “Free Palestine” during the attack, according to Michalek, who said that it was “clear this is a targeted act of violence” and it is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
Soliman has been charged with multiple felony counts, including attempted murder, and a federal hate crimes charge.
Soliman is an Egyptian national, government officials confirmed to CBS Colorado. He arrived in California in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa, the Department of Homeland Security said. That original visa expired in February 2023, and he had applied for asylum. Soliman had recently been living in Colorado Springs.
The FBI said later Sunday night it was “conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity related to the attack on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder” in El Paso County, Colorado, where Colorado Springs is located.
Soliman has been charged with multiple felony counts and a federal hate crimes charge.
The walk to remember the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza was taking place in Boulder’s downtown at the time of the attack. Two sources said witnesses told investigators the suspect also yelled “End Zionist!” during the attack.
Police said the victims included eight women and seven men, whose ages range from 25 to 88. One was seriously injured, with Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn saying it would be “safe to say” that person was in critical condition.
Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado Boulder, told CBS Colorado the 88-year-old victim is a Holocaust refugee who fled Europe, calling her a “very loving person.” Another victim is a professor at CU, Wilhelm said.
The people who were injured were outside the historic Boulder County Courthouse at 13th Street and Pearl Street. A burn scar could be seen in the space in front of the building. Witnesses said they saw people writhing on the ground and people running with water to try to help immediately afterward.
UCHealth confirmed that two victims were flown by helicopter to its burn unit. Four others were taken to Boulder Community Health, police said, but they had all either been transferred or discharged later Sunday night, the hospital said. It did not provide specifics on how many had been discharged.
Following the attack, which happened at 1:26 p.m. local time, three blocks of Pearl Street were evacuated. Investigators said there was a vehicle of interest in that zone, which an FBI official later said belonged to the suspect. The evacuations were lifted after nightfall.
Omer Shachar, Run for Their Lives Denver co-leader, told CBS News the group reached out to Boulder police about security concerns surrounding the walk several times before Sunday’s event. CBS News has reached out to Boulder police for comment.
FBI Director Kash Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino described the incident as a terrorist attack and said FBI agents were at the scene Sunday afternoon.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi released a statement Monday after the federal charge was filed. “The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world,” she said.
Bondi added, “This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington DC,” referring to the fatal shooting of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky outside the Capital Jewish Museum on May 21. “We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.”
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on social media that the “National Counterterrorism Center is working with the FBI and local law enforcement on the ground investigating the targeted terror attack against a weekly meeting of Jewish community members who had just gathered in Boulder, CO to raise awareness of the hostages kidnapped during Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Thank you to first responders and local authorities for your quick response and action.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the victims were attacked “simply because they were Jews” and that he trusted U.S. authorities would prosecute “the cold blood perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law,” according to the Reuters news agency.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is Jewish, condemned the attack in a news release, saying it was a “heinous and targeted act on the Jewish community.”
“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,” Polis said. “Several individuals were brutally attacked while peacefully drawing attention to the plight of hostages who have been held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza for 604 days. Hate is unacceptable in our Colorado for all, and I condemn this act of terror. The suspect should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Run for Their Lives, which organized the walk, said, “This is not a protest; it is a peaceful walk to show solidarity with the hostages and their families, and a plea for their release.” The group met at 1 p.m. at Pearl Street and 8th Street to walk the length of the Pearl Street Mall and back with a stop at the courthouse for a video.
Av Kornfeld and Ed Victor CBS
Ed Victor, who was participating in the walk, said they’ve been holding these silent marches every week since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack to raise awareness for the hostages still in Gaza. They stop at the courthouse to sing songs, tell stories and read the names of the hostages each week. He said around 30 people were participating in Sunday’s walk.
Victor said that the marchers occasionally encounter hecklers, but they try not to respond and continue peacefully down Pearl Street. People also often nod, clap or thank them as they walk by, he added. He said that he never expected that someone would attack them.
“So we stood up, lined up in front of the old Boulder courthouse, and I was actually on the far west side. And there was somebody there that I didn’t even notice, although he was making a lot of noise, but I’m just focused on my job of being quiet and getting lined up. And, from my point of view, all of a sudden, I felt the heat. It was a Molotov cocktail equivalent, a gas bomb in a glass jar, thrown. Av [another marcher] saw it, a big flame as high as a tree, and all I saw was someone on fire,” said Victor.
Victor said they tried to put the fire out. As another marcher with medical experience stepped in to take care of her, Victor stayed with her husband to comfort him. He said volunteers also rushed in to help, bringing water.
“I saw the aftermath,” said street performer Peter Irish. “It was like minutes after. I came out, it was chaos, people were writhing on the ground. It was traumatic to watch, to be honest with you. It was chaos.”
University of Colorado system President Todd Saliman said in a statement Sunday, “My deepest sympathies go out tonight to those keeping weekly vigil who were viciously attacked in Boulder today. I hope that they and their loved ones feel the support of our community as they struggle to comprehend what has happened. I know the shock and horror of today’s violent act will have long echoes for each of the victims, their loved ones and members of the community. We must vocally and forcefully condemn this hateful act of violence targeting the Jewish community and prosecute those responsible.”
A joint statement from Boulder’s Jewish community said:
We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza. We don’t have all the details of what is unfolding, and we promise to keep our community informed. Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this horrible attack, and prayers for a speedy recovery to those who were injured. We are in touch with law enforcement about our Boulder Jewish community, and safety is our highest priority. We are working closely with SCN, Boulder PD, and the FBI. We are grateful for the first responders who are caring for our injured. We will continue to work together to share information and provide support for our community. When events like this enter our own community, we are shaken. Our hope is that we come together for one another. Strength to you all.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser denounced the attack and offered to help the victims in a release Sunday afternoon:
My thoughts are with those injured and impacted by today’s attack against a group that meets weekly on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall to call for the release of the hostages in Gaza. From what we know, this attack appears to be a hate crime given the group that was targeted. I have been in touch with Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty and have offered support from the Attorney General’s Office. People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences. Hate has no place in Colorado. We all have the right to peaceably assemble and the freedom to speak our views. But these violent acts—which are becoming more frequent, brazen, and closer to home—must stop and those who commit these horrific acts must be fully held to account.
Boulder, Colorado, suspect facing 16 counts of attempted murder, federal hate crime charges; 15 victims total, police say
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the suspect in Sunday’s attack in Boulder, Colorado, is now facing 16 counts of attempted murder, as well as federal hate crimes charges. Police say at least 15 people suffered burn injuries and three were taken to UCHealth’s burn unit at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. Soliman is an Egyptian national who entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a B2 non-immigrant tourism visa, applied for asylum the following month, and continued living in the country after his visa expired in February 2023. The FBI says he’s been living in Colorado Springs with his wife and five children. The group, Run for Their Lives, has walked on the Pearl Street Mall once a week every week since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel. Group members call for the release of the Israeli hostages taken into Gaza. He admitted to learning how to make Molotov cocktails on YouTube, making them and targeting them, according to witnesses’ video.
Boulder attack suspect said he prepared for it for a year, number of people hurt revised to 12
Boulder attack suspect said he prepared for it for a year, number of people hurt revised to 12
EDITOR’S NOTE: On Wednesday, June 4, Boulder police said the number of victims rose to 15.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the suspect in Sunday’s attack in Boulder, Colorado, where 15 people were injured at a rally calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, is now facing 16 counts of attempted murder, as well as federal hate crimes charges.
Soliman, 45, is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at members of the group Run for Their Lives on Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder on Sunday afternoon. Police say at least 15 people suffered burn injuries and three were taken to UCHealth’s burn unit at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.
Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said on Monday afternoon that Soliman will be charged in state court with 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder, eight of which are “with intent and deliberation,” the other eight of which are “with extreme indifference.” If convicted on all charges, he would face a maximum of 384 years in state prison.
Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty speaks during a press conference at the Boulder Police Station on June 2, 2025. Chet Strange / Stringer via Getty Images
He’s also set to be charged with two counts of use of an incendiary device, which carries a maximum sentence of 48 years, and 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device, which carries a maximum sentence of 192 years.
He also said four additional victims were identified on Monday, after five, then six, and then eight victims were initially identified. The latest victims weren’t known to police at first, because the injuries were minor, according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn.
“The additional victims that we learned of today, the reason we didn’t know about them until today was their injuries, thankfully, were more minor in nature,” he said at a news conference on Monday. “They’ve come forward to be interviewed and things and we realized that they did have injuries so we’re counting everyone who received any sort of injury in this attack in that number.”
That number then went up to 15 on Wednesday.
Asked by reporters if Soliman was on law enforcement’s radar prior to Sunday, Redfearn said Boulder police were not aware of him and Mike Michalek, FBI special agent in charge of the Denver field office, said the same.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn speaks during a press conference at the Boulder Police Station on June 2, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado. Chet Strange / Stringer via Getty Images
FBI Special Agent Jessica Krueger wrote in a federal probable cause affidavit that Soliman committed a hate crime “by throwing Molotov cocktails into a pro-Israel crowd while yelling “Free Palestine” and injuring eight individuals.”
The Department of Homeland Security says Soliman is an Egyptian national who entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a B2 non-immigrant tourism visa, applied for asylum the following month, and continued living in the country after his visa expired in February 2023. The FBI says he’s been living in Colorado Springs with his wife and five children. Agents searched his home Monday morning.
The group, Run for Their Lives, has walked on the Pearl Street Mall once a week every week since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel. Group members call for the release of the Israeli hostages taken into Gaza.
On Sunday, investigators say Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails — glass bottles or jars with red rags hanging out filled with gasoline — at participants. They said they found a plastic container with over a dozen unlit Molotov cocktails, a car belonging to Soliman with more red rags, a red gas container, and paperwork with the words “Israel,” “Palestine,” and “USAID,” according to the affidavit.
“There were 16 unused Molotov cocktails that were recovered by law enforcement in the hours after the incident took place,” Dougherty said at the news conference.
Investigators also say they found a backpack weed sprayer filled with 87 octane gasoline.
After the attack, Soliman was taken into custody by Boulder police officers without incident, according to Redfearn and witnesses’ video.
Mohamed Soliman is taken into custody by Boulder police officers in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, June 1, 2025. X / @OpusObscuraX
The FBI says they interviewed Soliman after he was taken into custody. He allegedly admitted to learning how to make Molotov cocktails on YouTube, making them, and targeting the gathering.
“He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” according to the affidavit. “He specifically targeted the ‘Zionist Group’ that had gathered in Boulder having learned about the group from an online search.”
“Throughout the interview, 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 affidavit continued. “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 a phone in a desk drawer at home with messages to his family, as well as a journal, the FBI said.
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Denver Field Office Mark Michalek speaks during a press conference at the Boulder Police Station on June 2, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado. Chet Strange / Stringer via Getty Images
After he was arrested, his wife took her husband’s iPhone to the Colorado Springs Police Department. Michalek said the family has been cooperative in the investigation so far but couldn’t speak to their immigration status and referred questions to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
In a video that has since been widely circulated on social media, the FBI, said Soliman is seen in the video saying “how many children killed” and “end Zionist.”
Federal investigators believe the bottles and gasoline used in the attack were manufactured in another state.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the State of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell speaks during a press conference at the Boulder Police Station on June 2, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado. Chet Strange / Stringer via Getty Images
J. Bishop Grewell, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, said in addition to the two federal hate crime charges — which each carry a maximum of 10 years in prison — additional federal charges might be forthcoming.
Soliman appeared in Boulder County Court Monday afternoon, represented by the Public Defender’s Office. He’s being held in the Boulder County Jail on a $10 million cash-only bond. His attorney did not ask for an adjustment to the amount or conditions of bond. He’s due back in court at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday for a formal filing of charges.
He has not retained or been assigned an attorney in federal court as of Monday afternoon.
You can read the full affidavit here:
Source: https://www.axios.com/local/boulder/2025/06/04/boulder-molotov-attack-victims-rises