Boulder terror suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman seen bruised and bandaged in mug shot after ‘attacking 8 with flamethrower’
THE man accused of setting people on fire with a makeshift flamethrower and fire bombs has been pictured in his mugshot.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is glaring in his booking photo with bruises and a giant bandage on the right side of his face after he was charged with the terrorist attack.
The attack targeted a group that gathers weekly to raise attention to the Israeli hostages in Gaza at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado.
Eight people were left suffering burn wounds, but no victims have died, the Boulder Police Department said.
Soliman hid behind bushes at the pedestrian mall and allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail into the crowd around 1:30 pm on Sunday.
He is accused of using a makeshift flamethrower to set several people on fire while screaming, "Free Palestine!"
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Soliman was wearing a bulletproof vest and took off his shirt after he appeared to catch himself on fire.
Witnesses at the scene pointed him out as the man responsible for the violent crime, leading to his arrest.
Eight victims, four women and four men aged 52 to 88, were hurt and taken to nearby hospitals, cops said.
A Holocaust survivor was among the victims, according to a Department of Justice official.
"As a result of these preliminary attacks, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism," Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge at the FBI’s Denver field office, said on Sunday.
Video from the scene showed Soliman shirtless and lying on the ground before cops handcuffed him and put him in a cop car.
He was injured in the attack and taken to a hospital before being booked in jail, cops said.
His bond was set at $10 million.
Soliman was booked on multiple preliminary charges, including first-degree murder, even though no victims were killed in the attack, according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.
He's also charged with using explosives or an incendiary device while committing a felony, police said.
FBI Denver's statement
On June 1 at 1:26 p.m. Boulder Police were called to the outdoor Pearl Street Mall for a report of an attack on a group of individuals. The individuals were walking in a regularly scheduled, weekly peaceful event.
Officers rushed to the scene at 1325 Pearl St. and arrested the suspect at 1:32 p.m. The suspect has been identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, of El Paso County. He was taken to the hospital to be medically evaluated before being booked in the Boulder County Jail on multiple charges.
Witnesses reported that the suspect used a makeshift flame thrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd. The suspect was also heard to yell “Free Palestine” during the attack.
After receiving updated information, law enforcement officials have now identified eight victims: Four women and four men ages 52 to 88 were taken to Denver metro hospitals.
The Boulder Police Department notified the FBI and requested their assistance within minutes of the attack and are grateful for our partnership and their assistance.
The FBI is investigating the attack as a targeted act of terrorism and is working with the Boulder Police Department to process the crime scene, interview witnesses, and gather evidence.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Anyone with digital media—videos, social media posts, digital recordings—is asked to upload that at fbi.gov/boulderattack.
Source: FBI Denver
Prosecutors are still deciding which charges to file against him as another press conference is expected on Monday.
Soliman entered the US on a B-2 tourist visa in August 2022, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
His visa expired in February 2023.
Hours after the attack on Sunday, the FBI raided Soliman's home in El Paso County.
The agency has not provided any details about the search.
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It comes as the Jewish community has faced multiple violent attacks as Israel's war in Gaza continues, the FBI said.
On May 21, two Israeli Embassy staff members were killed at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.
