Boulder Colorado attack latest: Holocaust survivor among 8 injured after man firebombs pro-Israel rally

Upcoming religious events in New York City will have an increased police presence on hand to protect worshippers in light of yesterday’s events, the NYPD has said.

The Maryland Democratic congressman appeared on MSNBC’s The Weekend: Primetime last night to condemn the attack on Boulder and said there is “no room for violent hatred and bigotry” in the United States and “no justification for violence and terror against our people” whatever “ideological motivation someone thinks they have.”

Asked by host Ayman Mohyeldin if he saw “a connection” with “unresolved issues” overseas (meaning the war in Gaza), Raskin called it a “profoundly troubling development to see, you know, all of these violent incidents taking place against the Jewish community.”

He continued: “We don’t want wars to spill over to engulf everybody all over the world in violence. On the contrary, we need to turn it around to bring the violence and the war in the Middle East to an end so that everybody can be free of this kind of violence and terror.

“We need to bring the hostages home. We need to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. And we need to turn around the dynamics of that situation. But of course, that’s in the realm of foreign policy.”

If you’re just joining us, a man has been detained by law enforcement after eight people were injured in an attack on a “Run For Their Lives” event in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday, attended by peaceful protesters demanding the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas.

The suspect, named as Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, allegedly used a “makeshift flamethrower” and Molotov cocktails to target the event, according to the FBI.

Here’s a full report from Kelly Rissman.

“I think we’re feeling a multitude of emotions – fear, anger, despair,” Rabbi Joseph Black, a senior rabbi at Denver’s Temple Emanuel, has told ABC News’s local affiliate Denver7, revealing that he is personally acquainted with several of the victims.

“It’s close to home,” he said. “It’s frightening, but it also is something that we are all aware of.”

Rabbi Black added that his community is remaining vigilant as the annual Jewish festival of Shavuot approaches: “We at Temple Emmanuel have taken very intense security protocols to make sure that our congregation is safe.

“I’m not going to go into the details of it, but at every Jewish event, it’s always a possibility.

“This will not stop us, in any way, shape or form.”

This is the moment the suspect in the attack was detained by local law enforcement.

According to reports, the man arrested was Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, who is understood to have been living in Colorado Springs on a visa that expired two years ago.

The New York Police Department has increased patrols at religious sites across the city for Shavuot, a Jewish holiday.

“Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country,” said Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Denver field office, which encompasses Boulder.

“This is an example of how perpetrators of violence continue to threaten communities across the nation.”

Officials said the eight victims, aged 52 to 88, sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.

The attack took place as members of the volunteer group Run For Their Lives were wrapping up their weekly demonstration to raise awareness about hostages still held in Gaza.

Video from the scene shows a witness shouting, “He’s right there. He’s throwing Molotov cocktails”, as a police officer approaches a shirtless suspect holding containers in both hands.

Authorities confirmed the identities of eight victims – four women and four men – who were taken to hospitals in the Denver metro area.

Earlier, the number of injured was said to be six.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is alleged to have hurled an incendiary device into a group of demonstrators gathered in downtown Boulder, shouting “Free Palestine” as he did so.

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar called the Boulder attack “pure antisemitism” and a “terrible antisemitic terror attack”.

He blamed it on “blood libels spread in the media” and said he had spoken to Israeli diplomats in the US.

“Shocked by the terrible antisemitic terror attack targeting Jews in Boulder, Colorado,” he wrote on X.

“This is pure Antisemitism, fueled by the blood libels spread in the media. I spoke with our Ambassador in the US and our Consul General in LA.”

“I pray for those who were wounded in the attack.”