The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed on Monday that Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old resident of El Paso, has been arrested and is the main suspect behind the Colorado attack.
On Sunday afternoon, a man threw Molotov cocktails and used an improvised flamethrower to target participants of a weekly walking group that raises awareness for the hostages in Hamas captivity. Officials currently believe it was a lone-wolf attack.
Soliman, who was reportedly heard screaming “Free Palestine” and “end Zionism” before launching the attack at a group raising awareness of the plight of the 58 hostages held captive by Hamas, was booked into Boulder County Jail on multiple charges. These include first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of causing serious injury to an at-risk adult or someone over 70, and one count of using explosives or incendiary devices.
He is currently being held on a $10 million bond.
Before being taken to jail, the FBI confirmed he was taken for medical assessments at a nearby hospital.
"Our strength as a society comes from our shared values, and our commitment to protecting one another. Any attempt to divide us through fear or harm has no place in Boulder, Colorado, or anywhere in our nation," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "We stand in full solidarity with those targeted. And we will continue to ensure that justice is pursued swiftly, support is provided to victims and their communities, and preventative action is taken to protect everyone’s safety."
"Boulder is not immune to tragedy, sadly, and I know a lot of people are scared right now and questioning how this happened and why. Boulder has recovered before from acts of violence before, and we will again recover. I urge this community to come together. Now is not the time to be divisive," Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said.
"When this call came out today, our officers rushed to the scene as quickly as they could to protect our community and arrest the suspect and I’m very proud of their response. I also greatly appreciate all of our law enforcement and community partners who responded to help as well. I want to assure our Boulder community that we will have increased presence at many events and locations throughout the city to ensure safety."
The FBI raided Soliman’s house following the attack, the New York Times reported. An unknown woman was allowed to enter the property.
Neighbors told the media that they did not know Soliman well but that a family with three kids lived at the raided address, according to the New York Post.
Who is Mohamed Sabry Soliman?
Originally from Egypt, Soliman arrived in the United States in 2022 with a non-immigration visa that would have allowed him to stay until February 2023, according to the Homeland Security Department.
He was later granted work authorization in March 2023, which should have allowed him to stay in the US only until March 2025.
Assistant Secretary of DHS Tricia McLaughlin said Soliman had tried to claim asylum in 2022.
The Colorado Terrorist attack suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country. He entered the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired on February 2023. He filed for asylum in September 2022. pic.twitter.com/1Jd5IA9bcg
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) June 2, 2025
Despite being granted access to the states in 2022, he had a failed asylum claim in 2005, sources told CNN.
It is believed that Soliman acted alone in the attack, but it comes only weeks after two Israeli embassy staffers were murdered outside the Jewish Museum in Washington by a pro-Palestinian gunman.
