Man yells ‘Free Palestine’ and attacks Colorado crowd with firebombs, injuring 8
Male suspect in police custody following attack FBI director called a targeted act of terror
Eight people were injured on Sunday when a 45-year-old man yelled “Free Palestine” and threw incendiary devices into a crowd in Boulder, Colorado where a demonstration to remember the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza was taking place, authorities said.
Four women and four men between 52 and 88 years old were transported to hospitals, Boulder police said. Authorities had earlier put the count of the injured at six and said at least one of them was in a critical condition.
“As a result of these preliminary facts, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism,” the FBI special agent in charge of the Denver Field Office, Mark Michalek, said.
Michalek named the suspect as Mohamed Soliman, who was hospitalised shortly after the attack.
FBI Director Kash Patel also described the incident as a “targeted terror attack”, and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said it appeared to be “a hate crime given the group that was targeted”. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said he did not believe anyone else was involved.