Colorado attacker yelled ‘End Zionists', used makeshift flamethrower, Molotov cocktail; 6 injured
The suspect who attacked a pro-Israel protest in Colorado state of United States, yelled 'end zionists', 'Palestine is free', and 'they are killers' before throwing Molotov cocktails at the protesters. The man has been taken into custody for what the US authorities described as a "targeted terror attack".
The suspect was identified as one Mohamed Sabry Soliman. Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge of the FBI Denver office, said that the suspect used a makeshift flamethrower in the attack, a report from The Associated Press said.
No charges were immediately announced, but officials said they expect to hold Soliman "fully accountable". The 45-year-old suspect himself was also reportedly injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
At least six people were injured after the attack, which took place near 13th and Pearl Street during a weekly "Run for Their Lives" walk.
"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," Michalek said.
Police in Boulder city said initially that they were more cautious in presuming a motive for the attack, which several sources, as per news agency AFP, said was against Jewish community members during a peaceful gathering.
In one of the purported videos of the attack, a shirtless man with clear bottles was seen pacing as the grass in front of him burned.
The man can be heard screaming, "End Zionists!" "Palestine is Free!" and "They are killers!" towards people dressed in red t-shirts as they were tending to a person lying on the ground.
HT.com couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the video.
As per local media reports, the man reportedly threw something that seemed like a homemade Molotov cocktail.
Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said he did not believe that anyone else was involved, adding that, "We're fairly confident we have the lone suspect in custody."
Earlier in the day, he had insisted that it was "way too early to speculate" on the reason behind the attack. He told reporters that "initial callers indicated that there was a man with a weapon and that people were being set on fire".
"When we arrived, we encountered multiple victims who were injured, with injuries consistent with burns and other injuries," Redfearn added.
FBI director Kash Patel, meanwhile, said that the agency was aware of the incident and was fully investigating it. "Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available," he added.
The White House said that President Donald Trump has also been briefed about the incident.
The incident also comes against the backdrop of the heightened tensions in the US over Israel's war in Gaza, which has led to a surge in antisemitic hate crimes.
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