Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have revealed that the suspect behind the Park Street Mall attack in Boulder, Colorado, is an illegal alien who entered the United States under the Biden administration.
Fox News’s Bill Melugin revealed that “three senior” DHS sources said Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is “an Egyptian national in the U.S. illegally,” and has overstayed his visa after entering the United States under the Biden administration.
Melugin added that he was “told” Soliman “arrived at LAX on 8/27/22 on a B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa with an authorized stay through 2/26/23, but he overstayed & never left.”
“I’m told on 9/29/22, he filed some sort of claim with USCIS, potentially an asylum claim, and on 3/29/23, USCIS under the Biden admin gave him work authorization, which expired on 3/28/25,” Melugin added.
Melugin’s post came after FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek revealed during a press conference that Soliman had been identified as the suspect behind the attack which left multiple people injured and burned. Michalek also said there were six victims between the ages of 67-88 and that witnesses had reported the suspect had “used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd.”
“I’m able to confirm there are six victims, ages 67-88, all of them have been transported to local hospitals,” Michalek shared. “This attack happened at a regularly scheduled weekly peaceful event. Witnesses are reporting that the subject used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd. The suspect was heard to yell, ‘Free Palestine’ during the attack. The subject has been identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, and he’s 45-years-old.”
“As a result of these preliminary facts, it is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism,” Michalek continued. “Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country, this is an example of how perpetrators of violence continue to threaten communities across our nation.”
The identification of Soliman as the suspect behind the attack in Boulder comes hours after reports came out that multiple people had been injured and burned by an attacker with Molotov cocktails while they were taking part in a pro-Israel walk to support hostages held by Hamas.
Videos on social media show Soliman allegedly shouting, “end Zionists,” and, “Palestine is Free.”
One person, Rick Holter told Colorado Public Radio (CPR) News that after he left a store, he saw “someone on the ground being doused by bystanders” and a “shirtless man holding squirt bottles and yelling”:
CPR News spoke with Rick Holter of Pagosa Springs, who was in a store nearby when someone said there was fire outside.
When he exited, Holter didn’t see anything aflame, although there was someone on the ground being doused by bystanders. He also saw a shirtless man holding squirt bottles and yelling.
“We watched as the police arrived a couple of minutes later and this guy, the shirtless guy, went down on the ground and was handcuffed and taken away then,” said Holter.
Another witness told KDVR News there was a woman “burning on the ground,” and two other people had been “impacted by burns on their legs”:
A man who was on Pearl Street at the time of the attack said he saw a fire and then saw a cloud of smoke. He said that when they got to the scene, there was a woman “burning on the ground” and two other people impacted by burns on their legs.
He said the incident occurred during “some kind of religious protest.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) issued a statement that his thoughts were with the “people who have been injured by this heinous” attack on the Jewish community. Polis added that the suspect should be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“My thoughts go out to the people who have been injured by this heinous and targeted act on the Jewish community,” Polis said. “Boulder is strong. We have overcome tragedies together and will get through this together as a community. I’ve spoken with Boulder Mayor Brockett, and my administration is working closely with local and federal law enforcement on this afternoon’s attack.”
“As the Jewish community reels from the recent antisemitic murders in Washington, D.C., it is unfathomable that the community is facing another antisemitic attack here in Boulder on the eve of the holiday of Shavuot,” Polis continued. “Several individuals were brutally attacked while peacefully drawing attention to the plight of hostages who have been held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza for 604 days. Hate is unacceptable in our Colorado for all, and I condemn this act of terror. The suspect should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
