ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Federal authorities today filed a hate crime charge against the man they say attacked people in Boulder, Colorado, yesterday, injuring 12 by throwing Molotov cocktails at them. These people were marching in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Mohamed Sabry Soliman had his first appearance in court today. Colorado Public Radio's Haylee May is following this story. Hi there.
HAYLEE MAY, BYLINE: Hi, Ari.
SHAPIRO: What's he been charged with?
MAY: Right now he's facing at least one federal hate crime charge based on the planned nature of the attack. And more could be coming because authorities say the materials he used to make the Molotov cocktails weren't manufactured in Colorado, and that could make this an interstate crime. Police say Soliman told them he used the devices because he had previously tried to buy a gun but was not legally able to do so. They say he brought a total of 18 Molotov cocktails with him, but only threw two. Now, in addition to the federal charge, the Boulder DA's filed 42 counts against Soliman. Those charges range from attempted murder to the possession of an incendiary device, and he's being held on a $10 million cash-only bond.
SHAPIRO: The victims were local members of a nationwide group called Run For Their Lives. They march every week as a way to call attention to Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. And authorities say that Soliman shouted free Palestine as he attacked them. What did he tell police about his intentions?
MAY: In an arrest affidavit, an FBI agent said Soliman said, quote, "he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished that they were all dead." He also told Boulder police that he would do this again and had planned to die in the attack. He covered himself in gasoline before police arrived. The FBI also says he researched Run For Their Lives and disguised himself as a gardener to attack the group, even buying flowers on his way to Boulder. He says he's been planning it all for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated high school to carry it out, but that no one knew of his plans, including his family.
SHAPIRO: Earlier we were hearing from officials that eight people were injured in the attack in Boulder. That number has now gone up to 12. Tell us what's happened.
MAY: Yes, that's right. Those most severely injured in the attach were four men and four women, all ranging in age from 52 to 88. All of them were hospitalized for burns, and at least two were airlifted to a specialized burn unit in metro Denver. Today we learned that four other people also sustained very minor injuries in the attack. At last check, one of the original victims was still listed in critical condition still, but some have been released from the hospital. And we do know that one victim is a Holocaust survivor.
SHAPIRO: And what else do you know about Mohamed Sabry Soliman?
MAY: Well, he's 45 years old, and the Department of Homeland Security says he entered the country in August of 2022 on a tourist visa and then filed for asylum the following month. His visa then expired in February of 2023. The arrest affidavit said that he's married and has five children. He told police he lived in Kuwait for 17 years and moved to Colorado Springs three years ago. That city's about 90 miles south of Boulder. Authorities say he left a journal at his home, which they raided yesterday. And police say his wife also brought them an iPhone, where he'd shared messages for his family. It's likely that that phone will also be used in the investigation.
SHAPIRO: And what comes next in this case?
MAY: He'll be back in a Boulder courtroom on Thursday afternoon for the filing of local charges, and then he'll go through a similar process in federal court. As for the investigation, it's likely the FBI will continue to interview those that were close to him. We also know that he had additional materials meant to cause harm stored in the car that he drove to the event and that the FBI is in possession of that vehicle.
SHAPIRO: That is Colorado Public Radio's Haylee May. Thank you for your reporting.
MAY: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.