Boulder Mall Attacker Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes

Mohamed Soliman admitted guilt to 12 federal charges in federal court on Thursday. He previously pleaded guilty to more than 100 state criminal charges, including first-degree murder, for the June 2025 attack on the Pearl Street Mall.

Attack Details

Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at a demonstration supporting Israeli captives held by Hamas. The attack killed one person and injured more than a dozen others. The group, Run for Their Lives, had marched through downtown Boulder every Sunday for over a year.

Prior Sentencing

Soliman pleaded guilty to state charges in May. A judge sentenced him to life without parole for first-degree murder, plus 2,128 years in prison for the other state charges.

Legal Statements

U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly stated that the federal case holds Soliman responsible for the hateful ideology driving his actions. ADL Mountain States Regional Director Susan Rona noted that the plea confirms the antisemitic nature of the attack, which targeted people because they were Jewish.

Sentencing Date

The judge scheduled the federal sentencing for 10 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2027. Prosecutors and the defense requested life in prison plus 50 years.

Context

Federal hate crime charges address specific biases and motivations behind violent acts beyond standard state criminal charges. Courts handle federal and state prosecutions separately when crimes violate both jurisdictions.