As his mates caught hearth in entrance of his eyes in Boulder, Colorado, Omer Shachar felt “panic instantly” and mentioned he knew he had to assist extinguish the flames.
Shachar, a co-leader of Run for Their Lives in Boulder, advised ABC Information he was standing in entrance of the group exterior the Boulder courthouse Sunday afternoon when a person threw a Molotov cocktail below their legs.
“They’re actually on hearth,” he mentioned of the stroll individuals. “I do not know if I can categorical it sufficient — actually on hearth and making an attempt to tug my pal out of the fireplace.”
Tactical groups get into place following an incident that the FBI is investigating , June 1, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado.
Chet Unusual/Getty Pictures
“As soon as somebody may assist her, I used to be reaching out to the (attacker) and take a look at, I do not know what I assumed, however perhaps to sort out him … however we noticed that he is approaching to a container filled with bottles and realized that it isn’t a good suggestion, so we stepped again,” Shachar mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to maintain folks away as a lot as potential, though a few of them could not stroll. One among them was on the bottom the place the fireplace is.”
Shachar mentioned passersby stepped in with water bottles to attempt to assist put out the blaze.
An Israeli flag stands in a mattress of flowers as warning tape blocks off a abandoned Pearl Avenue on the scene of an assault on demonstrators calling for the discharge of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, in Boulder, Colorado, June 1, 2025.
Eli Imadali/afp by way of gettty imagesages
Authorities are reviewing a newly launched video displaying the chaos and panic within the assault’s aftermath.
The suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Soliman, was apprehended after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails in an “act of terrorism” throughout the pro-Israel demonstration, officers mentioned.
Legislation enforcement officers detain a suspect, after an assault that injured a number of folks, in Boulder, Colorado, June 1, 2025.
@opusobscurax/X by way of Reuters
Twelve folks had been injured, officers mentioned. Two victims stay within the hospital.
Soliman, who allegedly disguised himself as a gardener throughout the assault, advised police “he wished to kill all Zionist folks and wished they had been all useless,” courtroom paperwork mentioned. “SOLIMAN said he would do it (conduct an assault) once more.”
He “mentioned this had nothing to do with the Jewish group and was particular within the Zionist group supporting the killings of individuals on his land (Palestine),” paperwork mentioned.
Reserving photograph of 45-year-old Mohamed Soliman, the person suspected of finishing up an “act of terrorism” throughout a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, June 1, 2025.
Boulder Police Division
Shachar mentioned Run for Their Lives holds a peaceable stroll each Sunday to boost consciousness concerning the hostages who stay held in Gaza by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023.
Individuals embrace those that are “Jewish and non-Jewish, proper and left, Israelis and non-Israelis, People and non-People,” he mentioned. “And persons are coming for a similar trigger — to deliver these hostages again residence.”
Shachar mentioned he hopes the group can return to their walks quickly.
“In the intervening time, Run for the Lives, the worldwide group, requested to cease strolling till we perceive higher security preparations and safety preparations,” he mentioned. “Nevertheless, personally, I’ll say that so long as we are able to do it, and as lengthy that we’re working with the police and we are able to do it, I’ll stroll till the final hostage is again residence.”
Soliman, a husband and father of 5 who lives in Colorado Springs, allegedly mentioned he had been planning the assault for one 12 months however waited till his daughter graduated from highschool final Thursday to hold it out, state and federal paperwork mentioned.
Soliman had taken a hid carry class to learn to hearth a gun, however “had to make use of Molotov cocktails (for the assault) after he was denied the acquisition of a gun resulting from him not being a authorized citizen,” state courtroom paperwork mentioned.
Sixteen unused Molotov cocktails had been inside “arm’s attain” of the suspect when he was arrested, FBI Denver Particular Agent in Cost Mark Michalek mentioned on Monday.
The unlit Molotov cocktails had been “comprised of glass wine carafe bottles or Ball jars containing clear liquid and purple rags hanging out of the bottles,” courtroom paperwork mentioned. Police additionally discovered a “backpack weed sprayer, probably containing a flammable substance. The clear liquid within the glass bottles and weed sprayer had been decided to be 87 octane gasoline, which was decided to comprise xylene.”
Soliman has been charged with a federal hate crime and state costs together with 16 counts of tried first-degree homicide, in line with courtroom paperwork. He appeared in courtroom nearly on Monday. He has but to enter a plea.
Soliman is within the U.S. on an expired vacationer visa, officers mentioned. He was granted a piece allow, however that had additionally expired in March. He was born in Egypt and lived in Kuwait for 17 years earlier than shifting to Colorado Springs three years in the past, courtroom paperwork mentioned.
