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US authorities are investigating a possible terrorist attack in Colorado, after reports that a man was “setting people on fire” in the city of Boulder near a demonstration in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Local police said they responded to an incident at 1:26pm local time following a number of emergency calls from the city’s downtown area.
“The initial callers indicated that there was a man with a weapon and that people were being set on fire,” Boulder chief of police Stephen Redfearn told a press conference on Sunday evening.
“When we arrived, we encountered multiple victims that were injured, with, injuries consistent with burns and other injuries,” he added.
Redfearn said that there had been a peaceful pro-Israel demonstration taking place at the time and that police were investigating to determine if the group was the target of the attack.
Boulder’s Jewish community said in a statement 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”.
Local police said they had arrested an adult male suspect at the scene. The victims sustained a range of injuries, according to the police, including some that were life threatening.
FBI director Kash Patel described the incident as “a targeted terror attack”.
Writing on X he said the FBI was “aware of and fully investigating” the matter and that federal agents were on the scene and working with local law enforcement.
Dan Bongino, deputy FBI director also said that the FBI was “investigating this incident as an act of terror and targeted violence”.
“All of the necessary assets will be dedicated to this investigation,” he added.
Colorado governor Jared Polis said he was “closely monitoring the situation in Boulder”.
“My thoughts go out to the people who have been injured and impacted by this heinous act of terror. Hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable,” he wrote on X.
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