BOULDER, Colo. — As neighbors and Coloradans return to Pearl Street Mall to honor the 12 people injured in a terror attack over the weekend, the City of Boulder said it will increase security for upcoming events, including a planned vigil.
On Sunday afternoon, the local group from the organization Run For Their Lives held its weekly walk to bring attention to the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The Boulder group walks every Sunday and planned to do so at 1 p.m. at the corner of 8th and Pearl streets. Sunday was the start of the Jewish holiday Shavuot.
The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, of Colorado Springs, is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails into the crowd of demonstrating people, injuring 12 of them, and yelling "Free Palestine," according to a federal arrest affidavit Denver7 obtained and Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty. A state arrest affidavit added that witnesses saw him using a commercial weed sprayer filled with a flammable substance as a makeshift blowtorch.
Nobody was killed in the incident, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has labeled a “targeted terror attack.”
Many shops and restaurants along the mall reopened their doors on Tuesday. Denver7 stopped in at several places to ask employees and owners how they feel about returning to the area.
“I was out downtown a little bit when there was very few people, and I saw gangs of five cops walking up and down,” said Chad Henderson, the assistant manager of Pizza Colore on Pearl Street.
Henderson was working when Sunday’s attack happened.
“I was serving some customers here and some people started to say, ‘Look, there’s a fire! There’s some smoke!’” he recalled.
At that point, Henderson said he stepped in to bring water to some of the burn victims.
“The perpetrator was still there and still screaming and active,” he said.
- JEWISHcolorado has set up a fund to help those who were injured in Sunday's attack. If you'd like to donate, follow this link.
Run for Their Lives organizers told Denver7 the group touches base with the Boulder Police Department weekly to let them know of their gatherings.
‘’We also reach out a day before this walk to the Boulder Police Department and make sure that they are aware,” said Omer Shachar with Run for Their Lives Boulder.
Shachar, however, believes there was not enough police presence in the area on Sunday.
“I don’t think if there was a cop who was standing on the bricks Sunday when things happened, it wouldn’t have happened,” he said.
Denver7 reached out to city leaders about their next steps for security on Pearl Street.
Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett declined our request. A spokesperson for the mayor said he was preparing for a community vigil that is set to take place Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Boulder County Courthouse. We also reached out to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn, who was also preparing for the vigil, according to a spokesperson.
Denver7 did learn that the Boulder Police Department will be adding extra security to areas based on upcoming events. Even on Tuesday, we saw increased police presence during an informal prayer vigil at the site of the attack.
Run For Their Lives organizers said they want to figure out a way to continue their walks safely. At this time, they’re not sure what that will look like.