The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office filed 118 charges Thursday against a man suspected of injuring 15 people in a firebombing on the Pearl Street Mall Sunday.
At a press conference after the court appearance Thursday, Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty was asked about the suspect’s immigration status and if his family — which is currently being detained by ICE — will face any charges.
His next court appearance is a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 15 in district court.
He noted the suspect was arrested about six minutes after police were informed of the attack.
“We continue to work closely with our federal, state, and local partners in strong response to this horrific attack,” Dougherty said.
On Thursday, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office filed 118 charges against a man who is suspected of causing 15 injuries during a firebombing on Sunday at the Pearl Street Mall. Intent and extreme indifference attempted first-degree murder, assault, incendiary device use, violent crimes, animal abuse, and more are among them. Each count of attempted murder carries a maximum sentence of 48 years in prison if found guilty.
Following the court appearance on Thursday, Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty was questioned by reporters about the suspect’s immigration status and whether his family, who are currently being held by ICE, would be charged.
“I’m determined to see that the defendant faces all charges. In order for him to be fully prosecuted and held accountable, it is evident that ensuring his continued presence in the nation is of utmost importance, Dougherty said. If we find out that someone had information or knowledge, we may consider filing criminal charges. “.”.
Colorado Public Defender’s Office attorney Kathryn Herold will represent 45-year-old Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman in the case. He will next appear in court on July 15 for a preliminary hearing in district court.
“This inquiry is still ongoing. We continue to speak with those involved, and I will simply state that we encourage any witnesses or victims we haven’t spoken to to get in touch. Even if you were present and witnessed something, the interview process is still in progress. Shortly after Thursday’s court hearing, Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn spoke at a press conference.
About six minutes after the police were notified of the attack, he said, the suspect was taken into custody. “We were fortunate to have our fire rescue partners.”. Three paramedic fire engines were the first to arrive on the scene, and each one had a paramedic on board who could start helping victims right away. “.”.
The suspect threw incendiary devices and used a makeshift flamethrower at participants in the weekly Run for Their Lives demonstration on Pearl Street Mall, according to police. According to authorities, several individuals were set on fire, fifteen were hurt, and three are still in the hospital.
An arrest affidavit claims that the suspect told police that he specifically looked for organizations he believed to be “Zionist” and that he intended to target the Boulder group, which organizes a weekly walk to raise awareness of the remaining hostages that Hamas is holding in Gaza, for a year.
The age range of those hurt in Sunday’s attack is 25 to 88. Seven are men and eight are women. Additionally, one dog was hurt.
In response to a question concerning the immigration status of the suspect and his family, Dougherty stated that his office was not involved in any deportation proceedings against the suspect’s family. A judge has put a stop to those relocations. Dougherty stated that he only learned about those proceedings “by reading the paper” on Thursday morning.
So far, only one federal hate crime charge has been filed, but there will probably be more. Authorities claim that because the weapons Soliman used in the attack were not made in Colorado and were instead made with gasoline and wine carafes, the attack was an interstate crime, according to his arrest affidavit. The U. A. In an email statement to CPR News, the Department of Justice stated that it was unable to provide an ETA for the announcement of any further charges.
“In response to this terrible attack, we are still working closely with our federal, state, and local partners,” Dougherty stated. “We are all committed to seeking justice for this community, all of the victims, and their numerous loved ones. We support Colorado’s citizens and the Jewish community in their fight against terrorism and hate. “”.
Our current priority is keeping the community safe while events are happening. It goes without saying that there will be a significant police presence at our big event downtown on Sunday. Dougherty asked the public to show support for the victims and the community.
