Victims and witnesses of a violent firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, are sharing their stories after 15 people were injured during a peaceful walk supporting Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
As The New York Post reported, the suspect, 45-year-old Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, has been charged with a federal hate crime and 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The group targeted in Sunday’s attack was part of “Run for Their Lives,” an organization that hosts weekly marches in support of the hostages.
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The walk had just begun when Soliman, allegedly disguised as a groundskeeper, launched an assault using Molotov cocktails and a homemade flamethrower.
Omer Shachar, 34, one of the organizers, had just reassured participants that they should not be afraid to walk in support of the hostages. “Just as I said that, the attacker wanted us to burn,” Shachar told the Wall Street Journal. “I don’t know how to call it — ironic, absurd.”
Among those injured was 52-year-old Natalya Reznik, who sustained second-degree burns. Her husband, Dmitriy Reznik, described pulling her from the flames. “Her skin was peeling, and she was thirsty,” he recalled. She remains hospitalized in Aurora.
On Sunday night, Natalya posted a message in Russian from her hospital bed: “21st century. Boulder, a liberal college town. Someone decided to burn the Jews. Thankfully, no one died.” She also described the attack in a video on YouTube.
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Authorities say Soliman tracked the group by monitoring its Facebook page and had planned the assault for over a year. Investigators say he initially wanted to carry out a mass shooting but could not obtain a firearm due to his immigration status.
During the attack, Soliman reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” and later told authorities that he hated “Zionist people” and “wished they were all dead.”
One of the victims was 88-year-old Holocaust survivor Barbara Steinmetz. Boulder Rabbi Marc Soloway said:
“For someone to have survived the Holocaust and to see Jewish bodies burning on the ground, it’s just the worst thing imaginable.”
Despite the attack, the Boulder Jewish Festival is moving forward with increased security. Denver’s Run for Their Lives chapter will participate in the event, which will now honor those injured in the firebombing.
“There are 58 hostages in the Gaza Strip there against their will, held in tunnels by Hamas,” Shachar said. “I don’t see any reason to stop walking while there are still hostages there.”
Soliman is scheduled to appear in Boulder County Court on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. for a return filing of charges. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
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