- Suspect entered U.S. on tourist visa, overstayed after asylum claim
- Allegedly used incendiary devices during hostage-awareness rally
- 8 hospitalized including Holocaust survivor in critical condition
- Faces $10M bond on terrorism-related charges
Federal authorities confirmed Sunday's violence at a Boulder pro-Israel demonstration involved an undocumented individual whose legal status lapsed 14 months prior. Mohammed Soliman, 45, now faces multiple felonies after allegedly deploying pyrotechnic weapons against protesters advocating for Hamas-held hostages' release.
Immigration records reveal Soliman initially entered the country legally in August 2022 through a B-2 visitor visa. While his asylum application remained pending, federal policies permitted temporary work authorization – a provision critics argue needs reform. This case exposes critical gaps in tracking visa overstays,said former ICE director Tom Homan during a Fox News interview.
The attack occurred during a Run for Their Livesevent drawing parallels to Colorado's 2022 Club Q shooting, where lax weapon checks enabled similar mass violence. Security analysts note a 37% national increase in political demonstration-related injuries since 2023, per FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
Boulder PD confirmed victims aged 52-88 sustained burns across 15-60% of their bodies. Among the injured: 81-year-old Miriam Goldstein, a Dachau survivor participating in her fourth hostage-awareness march. Medical staff upgraded one patient to stable condition overnight, though three remain in intensive care.
Court documents cite witnesses who heard Soliman shout Palestinian liberation slogans before throwing an improvised incendiary device. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is analyzing social media posts linked to the suspect's accounts, including deleted content praising Hamas' October 7 attacks.
This incident reignites debates about asylum processing timelines, as 42% of applicants wait over 3 years for court dates according to TRAC immigration data. Colorado's 8th Congressional District Representative called for immediate hearings on DHS monitoring protocols during a press conference Tuesday morning.