Boulder Attack: Man hurls firebomb at pro-Israel rally, 8 injured

suspect was yelling "free Palestine"

Authorities say a man shouting “Free Palestine” attacked a pro-Israel gathering in Boulder, Colorado, using a makeshift flamethrower and incendiary devices, injuring eight people, on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism.

The attack took place Sunday afternoon at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, a popular four-block pedestrian area in the city’s downtown.

The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, reportedly approached a group gathered to raise awareness about Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Reports say he launched a firebomb at them, injuring people ranging in age from 52 to 88.

Several victims sustained burns, and others were treated for varying degrees of injury.

Soliman was taken into custody by police and booked into Boulder County Jail, north of Denver.

While details on his court appearance were not immediately available, officials stated that he would be held accountable and likely face multiple charges.

The FBI has declared the assault a terrorist act, emphasizing that it was ideologically driven.

The violence unfolded at the start of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

It was just over a week after another individual shouting “Free Palestine” allegedly shot and killed two staff members outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Officials believe Soliman acted alone and stated that no additional suspects are being sought.

He was injured during the attack and taken to a hospital for treatment, although the extent of his injuries has not been disclosed.

In a statement Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned the Boulder attack.

He called it a “vicious act of terror” directed at peaceful individuals simply because they were Jewish.

“My wife and I, along with all of Israel, pray for the full recovery of those wounded,” Netanyahu said.

He emphasized that the group was peacefully advocating for hostages held by Hamas.

In response to the attack, law enforcement agencies across the U.S. stepped up security.

The New York Police Department announced an increased presence around synagogues and other religious sites in honor of Shavuot.

Mark Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Denver field office, described the Boulder incident as another example of how violence continues to threaten communities across the country.

The attack targeted members of the volunteer organization Run For Their Lives, who were finishing their weekly demonstration to bring attention to Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

Witness video captured the chaos, showing the suspect shirtless, holding containers in both hands, while police advanced with weapons drawn.

One onlooker can be heard yelling, “He’s throwing Molotov cocktails!”

Alex Osante, a San Diego resident visiting Boulder, said he was eating lunch nearby when he heard glass shattering, followed by a loud explosion and screams.

In video he recorded, bystanders can be seen pouring water on a woman lying on the ground, her clothes reportedly set on fire.

An Israeli tourist who had spontaneously joined the demonstration ran up to Osante requesting water to help extinguish the flames.

According to Osante, after the initial blast, the suspect briefly hid in nearby bushes, then reemerged and threw another firebomb, this time accidentally setting himself on fire.

He removed his shirt and what appeared to be a bulletproof vest before lying on the ground, where he was arrested without further resistance.

Among the demonstrators was 72-year-old Lynn Segal.

As flames erupted, she said it appeared as though a “rope of fire” passed in front of her, followed by two large fireballs.

Chaos ensued as people rushed to find water and assist the injured.

Segal, who identifies as Jewish on her father’s side and has long supported Palestinian rights, said she feared being wrongly associated with the attacker because of her pro-Palestinian shirt.

“I wanted to help, but I didn’t want people to think I was with him,” she explained.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed that federal agents were treating the incident as terrorism.

He described the incident as ideologically motivated violence based on current evidence and eyewitness accounts.

The Justice Department issued a statement condemning the act as another needless attack targeting Jewish Americans.

This incident comes as tensions continue to rise over the Israel-Hamas war.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters infiltrated southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.

Of those, 58 remain in captivity, with a third believed to still be alive.

Israel’s subsequent military operations in Gaza have resulted in over 54,000 deaths, according to local health authorities.

Most victims have reportedly been women and children.

Massive displacement has left about 90% of Gaza’s population reliant on humanitarian aid.

The Boulder attack also echoes previous violence in the city.

Four years ago, a mass shooting at a local grocery store left 10 people dead.

That shooter was later sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murder.

Following Sunday’s incident, police evacuated several blocks of the mall.

It also deployed bomb-sniffing dogs to search for additional threats, urging the public to avoid the area until it was deemed secure.

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