COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) says a Colorado Springs man, accused of injuring 15 people in Boulder, was denied a gun purchase before the Sunday attack.
According to a state arrest affidavit, Mohamed Soliman previously took a concealed carry class, but he could not buy a gun or get a concealed carry permit because he told the investigators that he is not a citizen.
The document also states that Soliman said why he had to use Molotov cocktails for the attack.
CBI's spokesperson, Rob Low, said in an email that Soliman tried to buy a handgun at SCHEELS on November 22, 2024, and had to pass a background check.
The CBI checked Soliman's application through its CBI instant check system. Low said his attempted purchase was denied, and he never appealed his denial.
Low also said the denial was based on information from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It's the system used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct background checks on people who want to own a firearm or an explosive.
Low said the CBI cannot say why Soliman's application was denied, but it can acknowledge that the denial can happen based on someone's immigration status. He said under those circumstances, the CBI will send ICE an electronic notification.
Officials say Soliman is from Egypt. They say he lived in Kuwait for nearly 20 years before moving to El Paso County. They say Soliman arrived in El Paso County in August of 2022 on a B-2 visa, which is used for tourism.
A month later, he applied for asylum.
At the time of the attack, Department of Homeland Security officials say Soliman had a pending asylum case to attempt to remain in the United States.
According to the CBI, Soliman also applied for a concealed handgun permit (CHP), which was also denied by the CBI and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office on December 30, 2024.
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