Colorado police responded to a terror attack at an event calling for the release of hostages in Gaza in the Denver suburb of Boulder on Sunday, which left multiple people injured.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said his department received reports early Sunday afternoon of a man with a weapon and people being set on fire on Pearl Street. A male suspect with minor injuries was taken into police custody at the scene, Redfearn said.
“Run for Their Lives,” which was hosting an event in Boulder on Sunday, organizes run and walk events calling for the immediate release of all hostages being held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The police chief could not confirm whether the pro-Israel event attendees were targeted as there were people not affiliated with the group out in the area, but he said “this act is unacceptable.”
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“The movement started by a group of Israelis in the Bay Area in California, in collaboration with the Hostage and Missing Families Forum (#BringThemHomeNow),” the group’s website states. “But, local events are independently led by dedicated and committed leaders within their communities.”
“You don’t need to be Jewish or Israeli to be disturbed by this crisis—all people around the world should be,” the website says. “Innocent children, women, the elderly, and young people should not be living in tunnels 20 meters underground for over a year—they should be in their homes with their families. Until this crisis is resolved, the world risks normalizing this unbearable situation. Our focus is not on the “how” (pressure world leaders or military pressure). We are solely focused on the ‘what’: doing everything possible to bring them home!”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the group.
Boulder’s Jewish Community said that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers participating in the event.
“We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza,” Boulder’s Jewish Community said in a statement. “We don’t have all the details of what is unfolding, and we promise to keep our community informed.
“Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this horrible attack, and prayers for a speedy recovery to those who were injured,” the statement continued.
Witnesses at the scene told CBS Colorado that an unidentified suspect used Molotov cocktails to attack people who were participating in a walk.
“We are aware of reports of an attack at today’s Boulder Run for Their Lives event – a weekly meeting of Jewish community members to run/walk in support of the hostages kidnapped on 10/7,” the Anti-Defamation League wrote on X.
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A motive for the attack has not been determined, the chief said.
“I cannot confirm right now that this was targeted at a specific group of people,” Redfearn said. “We understand that there’s a lot of tensions right now and a lot of issues in the United States and everywhere. Once we have a clear motive, we will react accordingly.”
Redfearn stopped short of calling Sunday’s event a terror attack, despite proclamations from FBI Director Kash Patel and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as other political leaders.
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