Crime
Boulder terror attack suspect identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman
Federal and local authorities have identified the suspect in Sunday’s violent attack at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado, as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman.
The incident, which officials are investigating as a terrorist act, resulted in multiple injuries after incendiary devices were thrown into a crowd participating in a peaceful demonstration.
According to the FBI, eyewitnesses reported that the suspect used a makeshift flamethrower and threw a Molotov cocktail into the crowd.
The attack occurred near the Boulder County Courthouse, where the demonstration organized by the group Run For Their Lives was underway.
The group had gathered for a peaceful walk to raise awareness about Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.
Witness accounts indicate that Soliman appeared to be disguised as a landscaper before launching the incendiary devices.
Several individuals, including children, suffered burn injuries. Video from the scene shows scorch marks on the pavement near the courthouse, and at least one person was seen being transported on a stretcher. Photos shared by onlookers show a shirtless man—believed to be the suspect—being detained by Boulder police.
Emergency responders from the Boulder Police Department, FBI, fire services, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol arrived at the scene shortly after 4:00 p.m. The affected area—including the 1200, 1300, and 1400 blocks of Pearl Street between Walnut and Pine Streets—was evacuated immediately. Authorities also began investigating a “vehicle of interest” believed to be connected to the suspect.
At a press briefing on Sunday afternoon, FBI Director Kash Patel called the event a “targeted act of terrorism.” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed that federal agents remain on site and are working in close coordination with local agencies to secure the area and collect evidence.
According to three senior officials within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the suspect in the recent Boulder terror attack—identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman—is an Egyptian national who is reportedly in the United States unlawfully as a visa overstay.
The sources indicate that Soliman entered the U.S. on August 27, 2022, through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) using a B1/B2 nonimmigrant visitor visa. His visa permitted an authorized stay until February 26, 2023; however, records reportedly show that he did not depart the country by that deadline.
Further information provided by DHS officials suggests that on September 29, 2022, Soliman submitted a filing with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—believed to be an asylum claim, although this has not been officially confirmed. Subsequently, on March 29, 2023, USCIS granted him work authorization, valid through March 28, 2025, under existing policies of the Biden administration.
The details surrounding Soliman’s immigration status are now part of a broader investigation following his arrest in connection with Sunday’s incendiary attack at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado. Federal and local authorities continue to review the suspect’s background, immigration records, and any potential national security implications stemming from the case.
Public records and a professional profile believed to belong to Soliman suggest he may have experience in finance, digital marketing, and international financial reporting. He is reportedly bilingual in English and Arabic and may have family residing in Colorado. These personal details are being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
Officials have stated that while injuries sustained in the attack are not believed to be life-threatening, several victims—some of them minors—were treated for burns at the scene or transported to local hospitals.
The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement continues to urge the public to avoid the downtown Boulder area as the scene remains active.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.