Boulder attack: Targeted terror attack unleashed on peaceful Colorado vigil as suspect sets multiple victims on fire

A man allegedly attacked participants by setting multiple people on fire at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder.

Run for their lives

The vigil, held by a local Jewish community group called “Run for Their Lives,” was focused on calling for the release of Israeli hostages currently held in Gaza. The event attracts a group of people who meet weekly to walk or run in solidarity with the hostages, many wearing matching shirts and carrying flags representing the hostages’ countries.

Police response

At around 1:26 pm, Boulder Police received urgent calls reporting a man with a weapon setting victims on fire. Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said officers responded immediately to find several people with serious burns and other injuries. The victims were transported to local hospitals, while the suspect, who sustained minor injuries, was taken into custody.

“This is a targeted terror attack,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media, confirming that FBI agents are investigating alongside local law enforcement.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser called the attack a “hate crime given the group that was targeted” and condemned the violent act. “Hate has no place in Colorado,” he said. “We all have the right to peaceably assemble and speak our views, but these violent acts must stop.”

A series of antisemitic attacks

The attack occurred on Shavuot, a significant Jewish holiday, compounding the pain felt by the community. It also comes weeks after two Israeli embassy staff were fatally shot outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, in an antisemitic attack.

In addition to the violence in Boulder, anti-Israel graffiti was discovered on 18 to 20 buildings at the nearby University of Denver earlier that weekend. Adam Rovner, director of the university’s Center for Judaic Studies, described the vandalism as a painful sign of growing hatred and intolerance.

Reaction from the Jewish community

The Boulder Jewish Community Center released a statement expressing heartbreak over the attack. “We are saddened to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers during a peaceful vigil,” the center said, emphasizing safety as their highest priority.

Videos reviewed by the Anti-Defamation League showed the suspect shouting phrases like, “How many children have you killed?” and calling for an end to Zionists, indicating the attack was fueled by deep ideological hatred.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis condemned the attack as a “heinous act of terror” and reassured the public that state and federal agencies are supporting the investigation.

This attack adds to a troubling wave of antisemitic violence across the US, which has intensified since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel in October 2023 and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.