Vigil held in Boulder for Colorado terror attack victims, number of those injured is now at 15

CBS News

2 days ago

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and community leaders gathered in Boulder for a vigil Wednesday for the victims of a terror attack against a Jewish group marching to bring awareness to Israelis held captive in Gaza.
Authorities said Mohamed Soliman attacked the group with Molotov cocktails on Sunday on the Pearl Street Mall, leaving what authorities now say are 15 people and one dog injured. He was heard yelling "Free Palestine" and "End Zionist" during the attack. Soliman is facing 16 counts of attempted murder as well as federal hate crime charges.
Numerous government officials and leaders of multiple faiths called on the community to take a stand against antisemitism and express support for the victims and their loved ones.
Rabbi Soloway embraces Ed Victor at a vigil for the survivors of the Boulder attack on the Run For Their Lives walk.
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Ed Victor, who was participating in the Run For Their Lives walk during the attack, shared that they were gathered to remember the remaining hostages when suddenly he felt intense heat and a woman near him caught fire.
"I'll tell you, when someone is on fire, it takes too long to put them out. Whether it took one minute or two minutes, I don't remember. But I know it took too long," he shared.
Victor said the marchers used flags, banners and their own bodies trying to extinguish the flames. He said he's felt an outpouring of support from Jewish and non-Jewish community members alike, but asserted that the community must do more.
Polis, who is Jewish, said the attack was "targeted, directed and antisemitic violence in a reprehensible act of terrorism."
"Today, we return here, to the site where this occurred, to show by deeds and words that terrorism does not win. We are united as Coloradans, of all faiths, of all backgrounds, to make it clear that antisemitism, that violence and hate have no home in Colorado. Not today, and not ever," Polis said.
He thanked the first responders and community members who jumped in to help save the victims and arrest Soliman, and expressed his commitment to providing resources to the injured.
Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom expressed shock and dismay, stating that demonization and hate speech led to the attack, including in the city council.
"Let's be clear, this is not the time for pedantic analysis about the difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Nor to talk about the horrors of a war thousands of miles away. This was a brutal, hateful, antisemitic terrorist attack against peaceful Jews in Boulder, Colorado, in 2025," said Soloway.
He said, "The whole Jewish community is reeling, shocked that this hideous hate crime could happen right here in downtown beautiful Boulder, Colorado. And yet, we have seen this coming. We have seen this coming."
Several of the marchers injured are members of Soloway's congregation. The victims of the attack ranged in age from 25 to 88 years old, including an 88-year-old holocaust refugee.
Imam Nader Elmarhoum speaks at a vigil for victims of Boulder attack on the Run For Their Lives walk.
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Reverand of St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, Mary Kate Rejouis, and Imam Nader Elmarhoumi of the Islamic Center of Boulder both shared support for the Jewish community and denounced antisemitism, calling for all faiths to stand together in support of one another.
Elmarhoumi said the Prophet Mohamed lived alongside several Jewish tribes and married a Jewish woman, and that his faith also calls him to live peacefully alongside his neighbors. He asserted that if Soliman had joined the walk and spoken with the marchers, made an effort to understand them, then maybe things could have ended differently.
Boulder Mayor Aarom Brockett denounced the attack and asserted the city will remain resilient, stating the city will not be defined by the attack, but by how it responds.
"We are the city that rebuilt after the devastating floods in 2013. We are the community that came together after a shooter took the lives of 10 community members at King Soopers in 2021," said Brockett. "And again, this week, Boulder has proven that our spirit cannot be shattered by those who choose violence."
Brockett told Jewish community members, "You are not alone. All of Boulder stands with you, not just today, but every day."
He said that the city "will increase security when needed, but will not sacrifice the openness and accessibility that makes Boulder special."
Johnathan Lev, Executive Director of the Boulder Jewish Community Center, stressed the importance of supporting the Jewish community. He asserted that "silence is not neutral, it is permission," and hate will not be tolerated. He said the community refuses to be silenced, and he hopes that each person "will accept the responsibility of ending hate and helping us heal."
Lev encouraged the community to check on their neighbors and invited the public to join in the Boulder Jewish Festival on Pearl Street on Sunday, saying that presence is a form of protection. "Healing is not passive; we build it together," he said.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the rise in violence against Jewish people is angering. The Boulder attack comes just two weeks after two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were fatally shot. Videos of the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, show him shouting "Free Palestine!" In April, a man allegedly threw Molotov cocktails inside the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish.
Greenblatt said the number of anti-Jewish incidents has surged almost 350% in the past five years, and nearly 900% over the past decade. He warned that words have meaning, and they have consequences.
Run For Their Lives Organizer Rachel Amaru speaks at vigil for victims of Boulder attack against local walk.
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"Look at the protesters on campuses, or in our streets. When they chant 'globalize the intifada,' or 'glory to the martyrs,' this is what it means. When some groups shout 'intifada is the only solution,' or they insist that they want to bring the war home, this is what it means. And when someone calls into a city council meeting and says Israelis have no place in Boulder, and no one speaks out, this is what it means," said Greenblatt.
He encouraged people to speak up against antisemitism. "We've got to battle this bigotry with everything we have. This is the fight of our lives, and we can't afford to lose."
Run For Their Lives Organizer Rachel Amaru said the group has walked to bring awareness to the refugees every week, and they never expected something like this would happen. She hopes that everyone will come out again on Sunday to walk and remember the hostages in Gaza.