The Department of Homeland Security reported on Monday that the suspect in the attack on demonstrators supporting Israeli hostages is an Egyptian national who overstayed his tourist visa and was residing in the U.S. illegally.
Federal and local officials are investigating Sunday’s event as a potential act of terrorism.
Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokesperson, stated that the suspect, identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, entered the U.S. in August 2022 and remained after his visa expired in February 2023. She added that Soliman applied for asylum in September 2022, but did not provide details on the status of his application. McLaughlin told TIME that “the Colorado terrorist attack suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country.”
Soliman was apprehended on Sunday after allegedly using a makeshift flamethrower to attack participants in a weekly march called Run for Their Lives. This march, held in downtown Boulder, aimed to raise awareness for the 58 hostages following the group’s attack on Israel. According to witnesses, he yelled “Free Palestine” while throwing an incendiary device into the crowd.
Authorities reported that six individuals, aged 52 to 88, were hospitalized with burns and other injuries. Boulder Police confirmed Monday morning that none of the victims have died.
Soliman, who resided in Colorado Springs, was also injured and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation before being booked into the Boulder County Jail. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder and using explosives or incendiary devices while committing a felony. His bond is set at $10 million.
CNN reported on Monday, citing an affidavit, that Soliman also faces a federal “hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin.”
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn stated at a Sunday evening press conference that “the facts we have at this time make it clear that this is a targeted act of violence.” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement that the attack “appears to be a hate crime given the group that was targeted.”
The incident has caused concern within the Jewish community, which has seen increased threats. Two weeks prior, two people were shot and killed outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. In April, a man targeted the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish.
Here’s what we know about Mohamed Soliman, the suspect in the Boulder attack.
‘Illegal alien’: The Trump Administration
The Trump Administration stated on Monday that Soliman entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa, which typically allows stays of up to six months, and remained in the country illegally after it expired in February 2023. He applied for asylum in September 2022, but his claim may have been delayed due to a significant backlog in the courts.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller referred to the suspect as an “illegal alien” in a statement and criticized the Biden Administration for allegedly approving his work permit. “Suicidal migration must be fully reversed,” Miller stated.
The Department of Homeland Security and the White House have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the status of Soliman’s asylum claim.
Limited information is currently available regarding Soliman’s activities in the U.S. or his whereabouts in Colorado prior to the attack.
During the incident, he is heard on video saying “How many children have you killed?” and “We have to end Zionists, they are killers.” One law enforcement official told CNN that following the attack he said, “I did it to avenge my people.”
Did he act alone?
Following Soliman’s identification as the suspect, the F.B.I. searched his home in Colorado Springs on Sunday. Authorities have stated that there is no immediate evidence linking him to any specific organization or group.
Police Chief Redfearn stated at a news conference that they do not believe any additional suspects are at large in connection with the attack. “We are not going to say that with absolute certainty, because we’re still conducting a lot of interviews,” he said, before adding: “We are fairly confident we have the lone suspect in custody.”
Soliman is scheduled to appear in court on Monday afternoon.
