A peaceful Sunday gathering turned into a scene of chaos and flames when a 45-year-old man launched what authorities describe as a “makeshift incendiary device” into a crowd attending a pro-Israel demonstration in downtown Boulder, Colorado. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” as the device ignited, injuring eight people, most of them elderly, in what the FBI is now investigating as an act of domestic terrorism.
The attack occurred during the weekly “Run for Their Lives” walk, a demonstration held by local Jewish groups to raise awareness about Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Witnesses described a sudden flash of fire and screams as bystanders rushed to help victims strip off burning clothing and douse wounds with water. One student witness, Brooke Coffman, told reporters she saw “four women on the ground with burns,” one of whom appeared to be nearly covered in flames.
The victims range in age from 52 to 88, with two airlifted to a burn center in Aurora due to the severity of their injuries. As of Monday morning, at least one person remained in critical condition.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn initially hesitated to label the incident terrorism, stating it was “too early to speculate.” But FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek said that eyewitness testimony and the nature of the weapon used (reportedly Molotov cocktails) left little doubt about Soliman’s intent. “This is a targeted act of violence,” he said during a press conference.
Soliman, an Egyptian national residing in El Paso County, has no known affiliations with extremist groups and no significant criminal record, according to law enforcement. However, he is facing an array of charges, including multiple counts of attempted murder, use of incendiary devices, and first-degree assault on at-risk adults.
The suspect is reportedly in custody at a hospital after sustaining minor injuries during the incident.
The Boulder attack comes amid ongoing unrest in the U.S. linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict, with demonstrations across major cities often resulting in clashes. Politicians from across the spectrum swiftly condemned the Boulder attack.
According to NBC, Colorado Governor Jared Polis called it a “heinous act of terror,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “We must stand up to antisemitism.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement describing the victims as being attacked “simply because they were Jews.”
Online reactions, especially on Reddit, quickly turned heated. On a now-locked post that generated thousands of upvotes, users debated whether concealed carry laws, or lack thereof, could have prevented or mitigated the attack.
“CCW is not allowed on Pearl Street I believe. It’s one of like two gun-free zones in Colorado,” one commenter explained, referencing the popular pedestrian mall where the attack occurred.
Others criticized law enforcement response time, asking why the attacker wasn’t immediately subdued.
A Deepening Divide
The attack has inflamed existing political divisions. Pro-Israel communities see the incident as confirmation of their concerns about rising antisemitism, while others online expressed frustration at the way acts of violence are being co-opted by broader political movements.
One comment summed up the sentiment shared by many caught between empathy and ideology:
“I’m pro-Palestine, this is helping no one,” wrote a user. “How in the hell has the movement gone to such hell?”
Community leaders in Boulder say they are reeling from the attack, but they remain defiant. A report from Sky explains that the Boulder Jewish Community Center released a statement urging unity: “When events like this enter our own community, we are shaken. Our hope is that we come together for one another.”
As investigators comb through Soliman’s background and motivations, the attack is likely to raise renewed questions about security at public protests, the classification of hate crimes, and the thin line between political speech and extremist violence.
For many, the image of elderly demonstrators engulfed in flames on a sunny street in Boulder will be hard to forget, and harder still to accept.
“This is what they mean by globalize the intifada,” one Redditor wrote grimly.
Whether this is a one-off act of isolated violence or a symptom of something deeper is now the question haunting Colorado and the nation.
