The man accused of carrying out Sunday's antisemitic terror attack in Colorado had planned to carry out a mass shooting, but was unable to buy a gun due to his immigration status. Mohamed Sabry Soliman,45, now faces up to 624 years behind the bars if found guilty, officials said on Monday.
Soliman confessed to a detective that he originally planned to shoot his victims and had even taken a concealed-carry class to learn how to use a firearm, according to authorities. However, Boulder Judicial District Attorney Michael Dougherty said at a press conference on Monday that the Egyptian citizen could not buy a gun because his U.S. visa was blocked.
Bigger and Sinister Plan
Soliman made a brief appearance in a Denver court on Monday afternoon, wearing an orange jail uniform and white bandages wrapped around his head. When the judge asked if he understood the protective orders issued on behalf of the 12 victims, he replied yes.
Officials said the number of victims initially reported as eight was later raised to 12 after four more people came forward with minor injuries sustained during the attack.
Two of the 12 victims remain hospitalized, with one listed in critical condition.
District Attorney Michael Dougherty said that Soliman is now charged with 16 counts of attempted murder, which could result in up to 384 years behind bars if he is found guilty.
In addition, he faces a 48-year sentence for using two Molotov cocktails and another 192 years for the "attempted use" of 16 unused incendiary devices that were found near his arrest location. Authorities also confirmed he has been charged with federal hate crimes.
Mark Michalek, the FBI's special agent in charge in Denver, said that although evidence suggests Soliman acted alone in the attack, authorities are continuing to explore all potential angles and follow every lead in the investigation.
"If we uncover evidence that others knew of this attack or supported the subject in this attack, rest assured that we will aggressively move to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law," Michalek said.
No Prior Criminal Record
Authorities said the suspect was not known to federal agencies prior to Sunday's incident. Court records reveal that Soliman had been tracking and intentionally targeting a local pro-Israel walking group called Run For Their Lives, which has been holding weekly walks to show support for Israeli hostages captured by Hamas following the October 7, 2023 terror attacks.
Soliman told investigators that he planned to "kill all Zionist people" and "wished they were all dead."
He said he found out about the group — including the planned route of their most recent walk — through their Facebook page, and positioned himself along Boulder's busy Pearl Street to carry out the ambush.
Soliman carried out the attack using a homemade flamethrower, he fashioned by filling a garden hose with 87-octane gasoline and igniting it with a lighter. He also threw two Molotov cocktails during the attack.
According to his arrest warrant, Soliman told detectives multiple times that he "wanted to be dead."
Authorities said Soliman, a father of five who lived in Colorado Springs — roughly 100 miles south of Boulder — left handwritten notes for his family, which he hid in a desk drawer at their home. His family members are cooperating with the investigation.
Officials said that Soliman is from Egypt and had lived in Kuwait for 17 years before coming to the United States. He entered the country on a tourist visa through California and moved to Colorado Springs in 2022.
