(CNN) — Editor’s note: Find the latest coverage of the Boulder attack here.
A man reportedly set people on fire in Boulder, Colorado, leaving multiple individuals injured as people gathered for a demonstration in support of the Israeli hostages.
A suspect is in custody and police are investigating what FBI officials immediately called “a targeted terror attack” — though the local authorities said it was too early to define the attack and that the motive remained under investigation.
“When we arrived, we encountered multiple victims … with injuries consistent with burns,” Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said Sunday.
The man threw bottles that apparently contained flammable liquid that hit the ground and exploded in flames, multiple law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation told CNN, noting the exact number of bottles was unclear.
At least two individuals have been taken to the hospital, according to those officials.
The reported attack took place at the Boulder Run for Their Lives event, the Anti-Defamation League said on social media. The weekly gathering of Jewish community members is meant to support the hostages taken during the October 7 attacks in Israel in 2023.
The ADL noted that the incident happened ahead of Shavuot — a Jewish holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai.
While the suspect has not been identified by police, federal charges are expected in the case, a source familiar with the investigation tells CNN.
FBI agents and federal prosecutors are currently reviewing the circumstances of the incident to determine whether the individual will be charged with terrorism or under other possible federal criminal statutes, the source said.
The source stressed potential mental health concerns have not yet been ruled out, which could factor into any charging decision.
The National Counterterrorism Center is working with the FBI and local law enforcement, according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
FBI director Kash Patel said in a social media post that “we are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on social media Sunday that the attack in Boulder, Colorado, is “being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence.”
“Our leadership team on the ground in Boulder will be updating you shortly on the attack in Boulder,” Bongino wrote in a post on X.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the incident, according to the White House.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, echoed the FBI in labeling the incident as “terrorism” and urged concrete global action. “The time for statements is over,” he said. “It is time for concrete action to be taken against the instigators wherever they may be.”
“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 joint statement to CNN.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is “closely monitoring the situation,” he said in a statement Sunday.
“Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable. While details emerge, the state works with local and federal law enforcement to support this investigation. More information will be provided as it becomes available,” Polis added.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The-CNN-Wire
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