Man attacks Colorado crowd with firebombs, 6 people injured
Six 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.
Six victims aged between 67 and 88 were transported to hospitals, said the FBI special agent in charge of the Denver field office, Mark Michalek. At least one of them was in a critical condition, authorities said.
'As a result of the preliminary facts, it is clear this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating it as an act of terrorism,' Michalek said.
He named the suspect as Mohamed Soliman, who was hospitalised shortly after the attack. Reuters could not immediately locate contact information for him or his family.
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.
'We're fairly confident we have the lone suspect in custody,' he said.
The attack took place at the Pearl Street Mall, a popular pedestrian shopping district in the shadow of the University of Colorado, during an event organised by Run for Their Lives, an organisation devoted to drawing attention to the hostages seized in the aftermath of Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel.
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