The Pearl Street Mall Horror
On June 1, 2025, ( Boulder attack victims )Boulder’s pedestrian Pearl Street Mall erupted in chaos when Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, hurled lit Molotov cocktails into a crowd of peace activists. The group, “Run for Their Lives,” gathered weekly to call for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Soliman, wielding a makeshift flamethrower and shouting “Free Palestine” and “End Zionist,” ignited twelve people—ages 52 to 88—in what the FBI branded a “targeted terror attack” .
Eyewitness Alex Osante described hearing a “boom” before seeing victims engulfed in flames. Lisa Turnquist, a demonstrator, used her dog’s towel to smother flames on an elderly woman’s legs. “It took eight of us to get the fire out,” she recounted .
Anatomy of a Premeditated Hate Crime
Soliman meticulously planned the assault for over a year:
- Disguise & Deception: Dressed as a gardener with an orange vest, he bought flowers from Home Depot to blend in near the courthouse .
- Weaponization: After failing to buy a gun (due to his undocumented status), he learned bomb-making via YouTube. He packed 18 Molotov cocktails—wine bottles filled with 87-octane gas—and a weed sprayer converted into a flamethrower .
- Timing: Waited for his daughter’s high school graduation to act. In a confession, he stated: “I wanted to kill all Zionist people… I should do it” .
Table: Soliman’s Charges & Penalties
| Jurisdiction | Charges | Maximum Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | Hate crime | Life imprisonment |
| Colorado State | 16 counts attempted murder | 384–624 years |
| Colorado State | 16 counts incendiary device use | 20+ years per count |
Profiles of Resilience: The Boulder Attack Victims
Twelve victims suffered burns:
- Elderly Targets: Four women and four men (52–88 years old) bore the brunt. Six belonged to Congregation Bonai Shalom synagogue .
- Holocaust Survivor: An 88-year-old woman, who fled Nazi persecution, was critically burned. Rabbi Israel Wilhelm called her a “loving person” now fighting for survival .
- Critical Conditions: Two remain hospitalized—one with full-body burns. Four others with minor injuries surfaced later .
UCHealth’s burn unit in Aurora received the most severe cases. Witness videos show victims rolling on grass as bystanders doused them with water jugs .
Suspect Background: Visa Overstay and Radicalization
Soliman, an Egyptian national, entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a B-2 tourist visa. When it expired in February 2023, he became undocumented despite applying for asylum. Homeland Security confirmed he briefly held a work permit under the Biden administration—a point conservatives seized on .
Neighbors in Colorado Springs knew him as a quiet Uber driver with five children. Shameka Pruiett noted nightly shouting from his apartment but never anticipated violence: “That’s not the guy we saw” .
National Reckoning on Antisemitism
The attack is part of a terrifying pattern:
- Rising Threats: Antisemitic incidents hit record highs in 2023–2024 (per Anti-Defamation League) .
- Political Fallout: Trump blamed “Biden’s open border,” vowing to “deport illegal radicals.” Attorney General Pam Bondi pledged “fullest prosecution” .
- Prior Attack: Just one week earlier, a man yelling “Free Palestine” shot dead two Israeli embassy staffers in D.C. .
Jewish communities are fortifying security. Richard Priem of Community Security Service noted surging demand for self-defense training: “People realize the threat isn’t going away” .
Legal Proceedings and Community Healing
Soliman’s $10 million cash bond reflects case severity. At his June 5 arraignment, prosecutors will present evidence from his journal and iPhone messages left for his family .
Boulder’s Jewish Festival proceeds June 7–8 on Pearl Street with heightened police presence. Governor Jared Polis (Jewish) condemned the “heinous act,” while Run for Their Lives vowed: “We won’t stop walking” .
Table: Victim Demographics
| Age Range | Number of Victims | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 88 | 1 | Critical (Holocaust survivor) |
| 52–87 | 7 | 5 hospitalized, 2 critical |
| Unreported | 4 | Minor injuries, released |
Conclusion: Unity Against Hate
The Boulder attack victims—ranging from a genocide survivor to first-time protesters—symbolize Judaism’s enduring resilience. As Rabbi Marc Soloway noted, the flames evoked “horrific images of our past” . Yet, in the ashes, Boulder’s interfaith vigils and $500k+ fundraising for victims signal defiance.
Soliman’s trial will test America’s resolve against ideologically fueled violence. For now, the Run for Their Lives message endures: “We just want them home.”
Sources:
AP News | BBC | Denver Post