Man pleads guilty to federal hate crime charges in deadly Boulder firebomb attack

Mohamed Soliman, who previously pleaded guilty to over 100 state charges including first-degree murder for a 2025 attack on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, changed his plea to guilty on a dozen federal charges Thursday, CBS News reported.

The attack occurred during a demonstration supporting Israeli captives held by Hamas, when Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at the group known as Run for Their Lives, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen others, according to prosecutors.

Soliman had already been sentenced to life without parole plus 2,128 years in prison on state charges. The federal charges include 12 hate crime counts related to his motivation by the victims' perceived Jewish and Israeli identity.

U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly emphasized the importance of the federal case in addressing the hateful ideology behind the attack. The judge found Soliman competent to plead guilty but has yet to decide on federal sentencing, noting sentencing guidelines are advisory.

The attack had targeted a group that had marched weekly through downtown Boulder for over a year, ending at the Boulder County Courthouse, CBS News noted.