Boulder, Colorado (AP) — A man posing as a gardener to approach a group in Boulder holding weekly demonstrations advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza stated he intended to attack them with a Molotov cocktail on Monday.
Eventually, he chose not to go through with his plan and instead threw two of the 18 incendiary devices he carried into a crowd of roughly 20 people, shouting “free Palestine,” resulting in him accidentally injuring himself, according to police. He had gas in his backpack sprayer but claimed to investigators he only sprayed himself, stating, “I was planning on dying.”
“He mentioned he had to do it and wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t,” police reported in an affidavit. He did not execute his full plan “due to fear and having never hurt anyone before.”
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, who had been plotting the attack for over a year and specifically targeted what he termed a “Zionist group,” is accused of federal hate crimes, per court documents. His name also appears as Mohammed in several legal documents.
Passersby touch Israeli flags and the top of a bollard at the eastern edge of Pearl Street Mall near Boulder County, Boulder County, Colorado, Monday, June 2, 2025 (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“During his interview about the attack, he expressed a desire for them all to die, showed no regrets, and mentioned he would repeat the act if he had the chance.”
State and federal prosecutors have initiated separate criminal proceedings against Soliman, accusing him of hate crimes and attempted murder, respectively, with additional state charges regarding agitators and potential federal charges awaiting possible indictment.
In a state court hearing on Monday, Soliman appeared briefly via video link from the Boulder County Jail, dressed in an orange jumpsuit. Another hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Prosecutors disclosed that Soliman is being held on a cash-only bond of $10 million.
The FBI affidavit details Soliman’s confession following his arrest on Sunday, where he indicated his motivation was to “kill all Zionist people.”
Soliman’s attorney, public defender Kathryn Herold, declined to comment post-hearing.
Soliman illegally resided in the U.S. after entering on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023, as stated by Homeland Security Director Tricia McLaughlin in a post on social media platform X.
A surge of violence at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall in downtown Boulder coincided with the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, adding to global tensions and contributing to the rise of anti-Semitic violence in the United States. The attack occurred at the beginning of the Shavuot Jewish Holiday and followed a week after another incident where a man who shouted “free Palestine” was indicted for the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staff outside a Jewish museum in Washington.
Six victims have been hospitalized
The injured range in age from 52 to 88, with some suffering serious injuries while others have minor wounds, officials noted. Of the six injured, four were discharged from the hospital.
Denver-based organizer Miri Kornfeld stated that one of those hospitalized had clothing that had burned.
A volunteer group, Run for Their Lives, ended their weekly demonstrations when videos revealed the chaos of the scene, with spectators shouting, “He’s right there. He’s throwing a Molotov cocktail,” as police advanced on the shirtless suspect.
Eyewitness Alex Osante from San Diego recalled hearing the sound of breaking bottles followed by chaos and screams.
In a video captured by Osante, he is seen dousing a woman lying on the ground who had reportedly caught fire during the incident.
Molotov cocktail found
According to police reports, Soliman stated he wore a gardener’s orange vest to get as close to the demonstration as possible.
Witness Osante described how Soliman appeared to injure himself when he threw the two incendiary bottles; he subsequently fell to the ground and was taken into custody without much resistance.
District Attorney Michael Dougherty indicated that law enforcement recovered 16 unused Molotov cocktails, which consisted of glass bottles filled with clear liquid and red rags protruding from them, as per the FBI’s description.
Soliman confessed to investigators that he fashioned the devices after watching videos on YouTube and purchasing the necessary materials.
“He revealed he had been planning this attack for over a year and waited until after his daughter’s graduation to execute it,” the affidavit detailed.
Soliman also informed authorities that he had taken a concealed carry class and attempted to purchase a firearm but was denied due to his undocumented status in the U.S.
He is suspected of being hospitalized after the attack
Authorities believe Soliman acted alone. He was also injured during the incident and taken to the hospital, though details about his injuries have not been revealed; a booking photo shows a large bandage on one ear.
Footage and photographs taken shortly after the incident show Soliman pacing without a shirt, appearing to have burned one of his arms, while engaged in a heated conversation with those around him, some of whom were filming the scene.
According to state court documents, Soliman emigrated from Egypt and had resided in Colorado Springs for three years with his wife and five children after living in Kuwait for 17 years.
McLaughlin stated that Soliman applied for asylum in September 2022, gaining work authorization that expired in March 2023. DHS has yet to respond to inquiries for additional details.
Neighbor Sameka Pruiett described Soliman and his wife as kind and noted that their children often played with her own. However, neighbor Kiera Johnson recalled hearing screams from Soliman’s apartment at night and had previously contacted the police concerning loud noises.
On Sunday, Pruiett observed Soliman waiting outside his house into the evening, after which she announced via megaphone for someone to come out, but no one responded.
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This story has been updated to clarify the correct spelling of the suspect’s name as Mohamed, not Mohammed.
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Tucker reported from Washington, with contributions from Associated Press journalists Brittany Peterson and David Zalubowski in Boulder, Colorado; Jesse Bedayn in Colorado Springs; Kimberly Crusi in Providence, Rhode Island; and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis. Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Biesecker from Washington, as well as Jim Mastian from New York, also contributed to this report.
Source: apnews.com