A man who witnessed Sunday’s attack on a peaceful pro-Israel demonstration on Boulder’s Pearl Street and captured cellphone video of the suspect described the “horrific” scene in an interview with Denver7 investigator Jaclyn Allen.
Police say 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman used a “makeshift flamethrower” and threw an incendiary device into the crowd during a peaceful weekly demonstration by the volunteer group Run for Their Lives. Twelve people were injured, and at least two were still being treated in the hospital Monday afternoon.
- 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.
“It's not something that I ever thought I'd experience in my life,” said Brian H., who shared video of the scene with Denver7. “It is easily the most horrific thing that I've ever witnessed in my entire life, just seeing this – these people's skin falling off their bodies and blood and cuts … it was horrific.”
- Hear from Brian in the video player below:
Mark Michalek, a special agent in charge with the FBI’s Denver office, said the attack was being investigated as an act of terrorism.
Brian was out to lunch at a food hall on Pearl Street when he started to hear shouting outside the courthouse across the street.
“I heard a man shouting and kind of erratic, just kind of pacing back and forth,” he said.
Brian told us the suspect could be heard yelling, “you’re killing my people” in an expletive-laden rant. He started recording at the tail end of the incident, and captured video of the suspect pacing back and forth with two bottles of clear liquid. “I initially thought it was a Molotov cocktail,” Brian told Denver7.
Several small fires and burn marks could be seen on the ground. Brian also recorded video of the suspect being apprehended.
Brian said he called the police and started tending to victims, retrieving water from a nearby fountain and pouring it on those who were injured.
Brian, who is Jewish, said he felt “pessimistic” after witnessing the attack.
“The fact that this has been going on and it's only escalating [...] since October 7, is scary as hell,” Brian said, in reference to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. “You see what's happening all over the world. So it's not surprising that this thing happened. It's surprising that it happened this close to home.”
- Denver7 heard from multiple witnesses at the scene, as well as reaction from officials. For that, and what comes next, watch our team coverage in the video below: