Fact-checking claims about the Colorado attack at a gathering supporting hostages held by Hamas

As the public sought answers in the June 1 Molotov cocktail attack against people gathering in support of hostages from Israel and other countries held by Hamas, viral claims on social media spread confusion and false information about the suspect and victims.

The FBI identified the suspect as 45-year-old Egyptian national Mohammed Sabry Soliman. He faces state charges and a federal charge for a hate crime in the Boulder, Colorado, attack, which injured 15 people. The Trump administration detained Soliman’s wife and five children and said June 3 they "could be deported by tonight." On June 4, a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation of Soliman’s family.

The June 1 incident happened more than a week after the killing of two Israeli embassy employees outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Top-ranking White House and FBI officials called the Boulder incident a terror attack; no terrorism-related charges have been filed against Soliman. 

Here’s a rundown of key facts about the incident, with fact-checks of flawed online claims. 

What law enforcement says happened

According to the criminal complaint, Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails at people at a gathering organized by the group "Run For Their Lives," which aims to raise awareness about the hostages in Gaza. As he threw them, he yelled "Free Palestine."

In a car parked near the gathering and registered to Soliman, law enforcement officials say they found paperwork with the words, "Israel," "Palestine" and "USAID."

The complaint said Soliman had planned the attack for a year and researched on YouTube how to make Molotov cocktails. Soliman said he wanted to "kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead," the complaint read. FBI Special Agent Jessica Krueger, who wrote the complaint, defined Zionist as "individuals who believe in the establishment of a Jewish state and are supportive of the government of Israel."

Soliman was booked at Boulder County Jail with a $10 million bond and faces 42 state charges, including for attempted murder, assault and possession of an incendiary device. 

Children were not burned alive

Multiple X posts claimed victims of the attack included children. "This monster burned children alive in boulder Colorado today," a June 1 post said.

The claim also spread on Facebook. "CHILDREN BOMBED | Pro-Israel activists have been attacked in Boulder, Colorado and the FBI now admits it was a terrorist act. Several children burned severely," a June 1 Facebook post said.That’s not accurate. Officials said the victims are all adults 25 and older, plus one dog.

On June 1, authorities said eight of the victims — four women and four men — were ages 52 to 88.

On June 2, Judicial District Attorney for Boulder County Michael Dougherty said officials identified four more victims with minor injuries. Dionne Waugh, a Boulder Police Department spokesperson, told PolitiFact "none of the victims are children."

On June 4, the FBI’s Denver office posted on X that the victim count rose to 15, and one dog. "The victims are 25 to 88 years old, eight female and seven male," it said.

No evidence it was a ‘false flag’

Linking this incident to the Capital Jewish Museum shooting, one X user claimed both events were false flag operations, or staged events blamed on an adversary. 

Another X user claimed, "This man is not Muslim. This man is not called Mohamed. This man is an Israeli agent who has just perpetrated a false flag event in Boulder Colorado."

Although false flag events have occurred in history, they are less common than the conspiracy theories that arise after events such as mass shootings. There’s no evidence that this attack was a false flag operation.

News reports say Soliman has five children and worked as an Uber driver. He said he waited for his daughter to graduate before carrying out the attack, the complaint said. 

Soliman’s race is listed as white

Other X users questioned the suspect’s race. "MSNBC report on the Boulder Colorado terror attack: ‘He’s a White Male,’" one X post said. "Reality: Mohamed Sabry Soliman is an illegal migrant from Egypt."

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office daily jail listing report lists Soliman as "white." News outlets reported he is an Egyptian national who lived in Kuwait for more than 10 years. People can identify as white regardless of nationality or ethnicity.

Soliman entered the U.S. in August 2022 on a B2 or tourist visa, which expired in 2023, said Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary. She said he filed for asylum in September 2022. 

FBI called the incident a ‘terror attack,’ but investigation continues

A few hours after the attack, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was "fully investigating a targeted terror attack."

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said June 2 that when evidence includes "clearly ideologically-motivated statements, video, multiple witness accounts, Molotov cocktails, and large gatherings of like-minded people," the agency investigates the event as a targeted act of terror, but that approach can change as more information is uncovered.

In a June 1 briefing, a reporter asked Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn whether he agreed with the FBI labeling the incident as a terror attack. "We are not calling it a terror attack at this point," he said, adding that it was "way too early to speculate motive."