Colorado Attacker Planned Mass Shooting, But Couldn’t Buy A Gun Because He’s An Illegal

The man accused of using a makeshift flamethrower and molotov cocktails to attack a demonstration in support of hostages in Gaza originally planned to use a gun, according to Boulder County officials.

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a press conference Monday afternoon that Mohamed Sabry Soliman attempted to purchase a gun to attack demonstrators, but was blocked by gun laws.

Soliman planned the attack for at least a year, according to authorities. His initial plan involved using a firearm. He took a concealed carry class to learn how to shoot. But when he attempted to buy a gun, he was stopped because his visa had expired, Dougherty said.

Documents filed in a state court say that Soliman “had to use Molotov cocktails after he was denied the purchase of a gun due to him not being a legal citizen,” according to ABC News.

Soliman “researched on YouTube how to make Molotov Cocktails, purchased the ingredients to do so, and constructed them,” the documents say.

The suspect is an Egyptian national who is in the United States illegally, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said Monday that Soliman is in the United States on an expired visa.

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“The Colorado Terrorist attack suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country,” said McLaughlin. “He entered the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired on February 2023. He filed for asylum in September 2022.”

Boulder County prosecutors have charged Soliman with 16 counts of first degree murder, as well as using incendiary devices to commit a felony and assault. Soliman faces over 600 years in prison if convicted on all charges, according to Dougherty.

Soliman allegedly attacked the group of demonstrators with a makeshift flamethrower and firebombs. A dozen people so far have reported injuries from the attack. None of the victims have died.

FBI Director Kash Patel called the incident a “targeted terror attack.” Federal prosecutors have charged Soliman with a hate crime.

Soliman told investigators that “he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead.” The suspect said that “this had nothing to do with the Jewish community and was specific in the Zionist group supporting the killings of people on his land,” according to court documents.