Police in Colorado are responding to what is being called a "targeted terror attack" at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall during a Sunday afternoon event held to remember Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza. The incident left multiple people injured and one person was set ablaze when a suspect, identified by police as Mohammed Soliman, hurled Molotov cocktails into the crowd.
He engaged in a screaming tirade as he lobbed the homemade grenades, yelling "End Zionists!" He also shouted "They are killers! How many children you killed?"
The attack occurred near 13th Street and Pearl Street, where Boulder police said officers were evacuating the area as part of their response. According to witnesses who spoke to CBS Colorado, the suspect used Molotov cocktails to target participants in the walk.
The event was organized by Run For Their Lives, a group that described the gathering not as a protest but as a peaceful show of solidarity with the hostages and their families.
“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 said. Participants met at 1 pm at Pearl Street and 8th Street, walking through Pearl Street Mall with a stop at the courthouse for a video presentation.
Footage and pictures from the scene showed at least one person being carried away on a stretcher and a shirtless individual being detained by police, according to CBS News.
Boulder police Chief Stephen Redfearn said police received calls regarding a man with a weapon and that people were being set on fire. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, officers found multiple victims who had "injuries consistent with burns, and other injuries." First responders transported these victims to the hospital. Redferan also confirmed that a suspect was taken into custody.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said FBI personnel are on the scene in Boulder along with local law enforcement.
"We are investigating this incident as an act of terror, and targeted violence. All of the necessary assets will be dedicated to this investigation," Bongino said in a statement on X. "If you have any investigative tips please contact the FBI. And if you aided or abetted this attack, we will find you. You cannot hide."
Colorado Governor Jared Polis also released a statement on X, writing, "I am closely monitoring the situation in Boulder, and my thoughts go out to the people who have been injured and impacted by this heinous act of terror. Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable. While details emerge, the state works with local and federal law enforcement to support this investigation. More information will be provided as it becomes available."
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