Six people were injured in what authorities are calling an “act of terror” Sunday afternoon at a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado. The suspect used a “makeshift flamethrower” against the crowd, police said.
The victims, ranging in age from 67 to 88, suffered burns and were taken to local hospitals. One victim was seriously injured.
The FBI identified the suspect as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman. Witnesses say he shouted “Free Palestine” while wielding the flamethrower and throwing an incendiary device at demonstrators, according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek.
Soliman was arrested without incident and was examined at a hospital, police reported.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the event as a “targeted terror attack.” Deputy Director Dan Bongino added that early evidence, witness statements, and information suggest it was “ideologically motivated violence.”
The attack took place amid heightened violence targeting the Jewish community.
The demonstration was part of the Run for Their Lives walk, which raises awareness for hostages held in Gaza. The group hosts global events demanding the immediate release of those hostages.
Leo Terrell, head of the Justice Department’s antisemitism task force, said an incendiary device was thrown at participants. He called the attack “part of a horrific and escalating wave of violence targeting Jews and their supporters simply for being Jewish or standing up for Jewish lives.”
Terrell noted the timing, saying the attack occurred on the eve of the Jewish holiday Shavuot, “making it all the more chilling and cruel.”
Miri Kornfeld, spokesperson for Run for Their Lives, told ABC News that a man leading the walk described the scene as “the floor burning beneath them.”
All upcoming Run for Their Lives events have been canceled until further notice.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident, a senior White House official said.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis condemned the attack on X, calling it a “heinous act of terror” and assuring cooperation with local and federal law enforcement.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn described the incident as a “tragedy” and “unacceptable,” but initially refrained from labeling it terrorism or speculating on the suspect’s motives.
The attack occurred just before 1:30 p.m. Sunday at 13th Street and Pearl Street.
Police responded to reports of a man with a weapon setting people on fire. When officers arrived, multiple victims showed burn injuries. Four were taken to Boulder Community Hospital; two were airlifted to a burn unit in Aurora. Aside from one serious injury, others were considered minor, Redfearn said.
This attack follows recent violent incidents targeting the Jewish community, including the killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., last month, which was also labeled an act of terror.
That shooting, which sparked widespread outrage, was linked to antisemitism after the suspect reportedly shouted “free, free Palestine.”
In April, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence was targeted by an arsonist who threw Molotov cocktails inside the mansion, court records say. The attack came shortly after Shapiro posted about celebrating Passover with his family.
Chicago-area Rabbi Jeffrey Weill expressed sorrow over the latest violence.
“To have American citizens attacked so brutally for exercising free speech and raising awareness about hostages is tragically horrific,” Weill said. He emphasized the pain of the attack occurring on the eve of Shavuot.
“Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai,” Weill said. “Jewish people were given the mandate to be a light onto the nations — to bring light and right injustice. That’s what the people in Boulder were trying to do.”
