Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 46, pleaded guilty on May 7 to all 184 state charges related to a deadly gasoline bomb attack at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1, 2025. The attack killed one person and injured a dozen others. Soliman now faces a possible life sentence and is also confronting separate federal hate crime charges.
Core Facts and Immediate Action
Soliman pleaded guilty to murder and other charges in state court, including attempted murder and assault. He had initially pleaded not guilty in federal court to hate crime charges, where prosecutors are considering whether to seek the death penalty. The attack involved throwing two Molotov cocktails at demonstrators at a pedestrian mall in downtown Boulder.
Deeper Dive and Context
Background of the Attack
The attack occurred during a weekly demonstration in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Investigators allege Soliman planned the attack for a year and was driven by a desire to "kill all Zionist people." An 82-year-old woman who was injured in the attack later died. Soliman, an Egyptian national, was living in the U.S. illegally at the time of the attack. He had moved to the U.S. from Kuwait in 2022 with his wife and five children and worked in a series of low-paying jobs. The couple divorced in April.
Legal Proceedings and Implications
Soliman’s attorneys revealed his guilty plea in a recent court filing in a related federal case. He was set to appear before state District Judge Nancy Salomone to formalize the plea. The federal case involves hate crime charges, and prosecutors have been weighing whether to seek the death penalty. Soliman had been living with his family in a two-bedroom apartment in Colorado Springs at the time of the attack.
Community and Political Response
Boulder Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer described the attack as horrific, noting that victims included close friends. The attack has raised questions about extremism and hate crimes in the U.S., particularly in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict.