Latest news with #FOX21News
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
DOJ: Boulder attack suspect facing federal hate crime charges
FOX21 News will live stream a press conference set to begin at 2:30 p.m. on Monday at the top of this article. Officials from the Boulder Police Department, DOJ, FBI, and the Boulder District Attorney's Office are expected to speak regarding the charges against Mohamed Soliman. (NATIONAL) — The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it has filed federal charges against Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the suspect in the Pearl Street attack in Boulder on Sunday, June 1. Suspect in Boulder attack charged with federal hate crime, FBI says: Live Updates According to officials, Soliman is in the U.S. illegally. He was arrested for what the DOJ called an anti-Semitic terrorist attack that injured eight when he allegedly threw two lit Molotov cocktails into a group of people participating in a pro-Israel gathering, igniting the crowd. Soliman is alleged to have yelled 'Free Palestine!' during the attack. He is now being charged by the DOJ with a federal hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin. 'The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world,' said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. 'This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington, DC. We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.' According to the federal complaint, when Soliman was detained by local law enforcement, a black plastic container was found with at least 14 unlit Molotov cocktails inside. The Molotov cocktails were made of wine bottles or Ball jars with red rags hanging out of the bottles, containing what was later discovered to be 87 octane gasoline. A backpack weed sprayer filled with gasoline was also found nearby. READ THE FULL FEDERAL COMPLAINT HERE The federal complaint stated that after Soliman was arrested, he was questioned by local and federal law enforcement. During the interview, he said that he had researched how to make Molotov cocktails on YouTube, purchased the ingredients, and created them. He allegedly stated that he 'wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead.' According to the document, he said he would do it again. Soliman allegedly stated that he specifically targeted this group, having learned of the meeting online and traveled from his home in Colorado Springs, which he shares with his wife and five kids, to conduct the attack. He allegedly stated during the interview that he hated the Zionist group and needed to 'stop them from taking over 'our land,'' which he explained to be Palestine, according to the federal complaint. FBI: Pearl Street suspect was from El Paso County The document detailed that during the interview, Soliman stated he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated before carrying it out. He also stated that he had left messages to his family on his iPhone at his house in Colorado Springs. According to the document, after his arrest, Soliman's wife went to the Colorado Springs Police Department, bringing an iPhone 14 that she identified as belonging to Soliman. A video was found on social media depicting a shirtless man, identified as Soliman, pacing back and forth, while holding 'what appear to be Molotov cocktails,' according to the federal complaint. The video allegedly shows him saying, 'how many children killed,' then a few moments later, 'end Zionist.' The federal complaint states that, based on the information presented in the document, there is probable cause to believe that Soliman violated federal laws against hate crimes, prompting the DOJ to file federal charges against him. 'No American should experience violence motivated by hatred based on their faith or national origin, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice,' said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon in a statement. 'There can be zero tolerance for such acts in our great nation.' According to court documents, Soliman is scheduled for a Hearing on Advisement on Monday, June 2, where Colorado state charges are expected to be read in Boulder County Court. FOX21 News will update this article once we know more. Soliman is being held on a $10,000,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
UPDATE: CO-115 reopened near Florence after fatal crash
(FLORENCE, Colo.) — CSP reported that around 3:30 p.m., the highway between Florence and Cañon City reopened to traffic. According to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), a motorcyclist was declared dead at the scene after a crash that closed Colorado Highway 115 near Florence around noon on Sunday, June 1. According to COTrip, the highway is closed in both directions between Mackenzie Avenue, near Brookside, and Elm Street, 1 mile outside of Florence. Drivers should expect delays or choose alternate routes. FOX21 News will update this story when more details are available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Shelter-in-place lifted from Lorson Ranch
(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — The earlier shelter-in-place has been lifted from the Lorson Ranch neighborhood, according to an updated Peak Alert. A shelter-in-place has been issued in Lorson Ranch due to a gas leak. According to a Peak Alert sent out by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO), the shelter-in-place is in effect for neighbors in the area north of Lorson Boulevard, South of Fontaine Boulevard, east of Lamprey Drive, and west of Walleye Drive due to a gas leak in the 11000 block of Pikeminnow Place. Neighbors in the warned area should close their doors and windows and turn off heating and cooling systems. Do not use open flames or anything that could cause a spark. The community is asked to avoid the area if possible. This is a developing story. FOX21 News will provide updates as information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Veterans express VA experiences during Sen. Bennet roundtable
(FOUNTAIN, Colo.)—With Memorial Day around the corner, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet made time to meet with local veterans for a roundtable discussion in Fountain on Saturday, May 24. The discussion focused on the VA and the benefits and treatments veterans are currently receiving. Most expressed their own issues they experienced. 'You can have a program that's been around for 150 years, and it still has some issues,' said Travis Baker, the District Five Commander at the VFW in El Paso County. Baker expressed his own problems and frustrations to Sen. Bennet in trying to get help, specifically focusing on just setting up an appointment. 'Scheduling appointments is a nightmare sometimes,' Baker said. 'When you call and say, I need my annual checkup or my semiannual checkup, it can take you up to six or seven months.' For some veterans, they cannot afford to wait months and need treatment or surgery sooner rather than later. For Baker, it has cost him money out of his pocket. ''I've been going through some health issues the past couple of weeks, and I've been trying to get my stuff taken care of, and I can get it done through the VA because they didn't have any availability,' Baker said. 'So, I had to go to the emergency room, and I had to pay to go to the hospital.' Baker is not the only as several veterans who were at the discussion shared experiences of long waits between appointments, along with not getting a proper diagnosis that identifies what is wrong with them. Sen. Bennet tells FOX21 News it is frustrating to hear this 'It's unacceptable that people in that room were saying, takes nine months to get in to see a heart doctor,' Sen. Bennet said. 'It's unacceptable that it can take years on end to get a diagnosis.' Sen. Bennet believes this shows there is more work to be done in Washington, D.C., to make sure problems with the VA are cleaned up and veterans are getting treated sooner rather than later. If you or someone you know served in the military and is looking for medical help or resources, click here to check out the resources offered by the VA. 'I think the only way we're going to change that is by making sure that we're monitoring the speed with which they're being responded to and that we're passing legislation to create oversight from Congress,' Sen. Bennet said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Colorado Springs housing for homeless youth opens soon
(COLORADO SPRINGS)— The controversial supportive housing project, The Launchpad, which has been in the works for over two years, will officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 27. The Launchpad, located at 846 North 19th St., is a four-story, 50-unit permanent supportive apartment home community for young adults aged 18 to 24. Local nonprofit The PLACE is behind the idea. Staff said it's not a shelter; instead, residents commit to a one-year lease. Organizers said there will be strict oversight, including on-site management with 24-hour program staff and security measures, as well as tenant support with education, jobs, and self-sufficiency life skills. Through this new community, The PLACE will also provide support and foster connections at one accessible and single location for residents, including job placement assistance, life skills coaching, access to healthcare, and more. Multi-million dollar Colorado Springs supportive housing project approved El Paso County tracked 568 homeless youth and young adults through age 24 last year, according to the inaugural State of Homelessness Report in Colorado that was released last month by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. Staff tell FOX21 News that The Launchpad is conceived through the lens of trauma-informed design (TID), integrating trauma-informed care principles into design to fashion physical spaces promoting safety, well-being, and healing. This design will provide small reading nooks adjoining a spacious common area, a laundry space featuring windows overlooking the TV lounge, and a community kitchen transitioning to an outdoor space. The multi-million dollar project is funded through a public-private partnership and various grants. FOX21 will update this article after speaking with nearby neighbors and businesses in the area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
