After Boulder attack, Los Angeles mayor calls emergency meeting to discuss police patrols at houses of worship
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Sunday night called for an emergency meeting to discuss law enforcement strategies during the fallout of what the FBI called a "targeted act of violence" in Colorado over the weekend.
In a statement, Bass called for extra police patrols at places of worship and community centers across L.A.
"Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in this city," she said.
On Sunday, a man is accused of using a "makeshift flamethrower" and Molotov cocktails to attack a peaceful march in support of Israeli hostages at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, a popular outdoor pedestrian area lined with shops and restaurants.
The Boulder Police Department said eight people were injured in the attack. The FBI identified the suspect as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who allegedly yelled "Free Palestine" as he conducted the attack. CBS Colorado reported Sunday that Soliman is an Egyptian national and could be living in the U.S. on an expired visa.
At least one person was in serious condition as of Sunday night, per authorities. The age range of the victims was 52 to 88, police said. The 88-year-old victim is a Holocaust refugee who fled Europe, CBS Colorado reports.
The attack came on the first evening of the Jewish holiday Shavuot, which runs until Tuesday.
Bass on Sunday night said the emergency meeting at L.A. City Hall will take place immediately after the holiday. The mayor also stated that the LAPD would conduct extra patrols in areas such as "houses of worship and community centers" in light of the attack.
"What happened in Boulder, Colorado today — an especially brutal targeting of elders — is an atrocious affront to the very fabric of our society and our beliefs here in Los Angeles," she said.