3 days ago
Boulder terror attack suspect lived in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — Neighbors in a quiet east Colorado Springs community tell FOX31 the city's beautiful backdrop lies in stark contrast to the details of a vicious attack in Boulder on Sunday.
Mohammed Sabry Soliman faces attempted murder charges, among others, accused of tossing flammable objects into a crowd at a peaceful event remembering and honoring hostages in Gaza.
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'I found out when I was at work this morning, I couldn't even realize that I had somebody like (that) right next to me,' said one resident.
Soliman moved to Colorado Springs with his wife and five children three years ago after living in Kuwait for 17 years. He was born in Egypt. A Boulder County Court affidavit shows Soliman had been planning the attack in Boulder for the last year and planned on dying during the attack.
'I go to the mailbox right in front of their house all the time, have children playing around here, never would've imagined something like that,' said the neighbor.
The affidavit also says Soliman learned about the weekly marches in Boulder supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza by searching online and that he learned how to make the explosive Molotov cocktails that were thrown into the crowd on YouTube.
'I heard there was a Holocaust survivor that was involved and that's terrible, that's absolutely terrible, so yeah, my heart does go out for him, and if there's anything we can do as a community. I'd love to do it,' said one Colorado Springs resident.
The affidavit says Soliman got close to the crowd by dressing like a gardener wearing an orange vest and bringing flowers and a backpack sprayer he bought from a Castle Rock Home Depot store, along with eight glass containers he bought at a nearby Target store, which he later filled with gas.
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'You're doing a peaceful protest and then all of a sudden you got this, especially coming from around here, right, Colorado Springs, it's quite of a drive to go up there and have those, you know, the intention to even do something like that it baffles me,' said the neighbor.
Soliman's neighbors include members of the Jewish community, one telling FOX31 he cannot appear on camera or be photographed this week due to his customs, but said his prayers go out to those injured in the attack.
FOX31 learned that Soliman decided to use the Molotov cocktails after he was denied the purchase of a gun because he was not a legal citizen. Law enforcement found 18 explosive devices at the scene.
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