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Fewer pedestrians killed on Colorado roads in 2024; still “a long way to go,” officials say

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Fewer pedestrians killed on Colorado roads in 2024; still “a long way to go,” officials say


Colorado is on track to see fewer pedestrians killed in crashes this year after setting a record high in 2023, a change state and local officials say is an encouraging start — but just a start.

There was a 9% drop in traffic fatalities in the first half of 2024 compared to the same time last year, the Colorado Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

State transportation officials recorded 294 traffic fatalities between Jan. 1 and June 30 and saw the biggest decrease in pedestrian deaths, with 47 pedestrians killed in crashes so far this year. That marks a 24% decrease from the first half of 2023.

Colorado saw a record high of 131 pedestrians killed in crashes in 2022, 62 of whom died in the first half of the year.

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“We’re seeing less risky behavior on our roadways leading to fewer fatalities,” CDOT spokesperson Sam Cole said Thursday. “Enforcement, engineering improvements and traffic safety awareness are driving down traffic deaths, but we still have a long way to go.”

State data shows a drop in traffic deaths across the board, including 23% fewer child and teen crash deaths, 16% fewer impaired driving deaths and 6% fewer unbuckled crash deaths. There have been three bicyclists killed in crashes compared to eight at this time in 2023.

Denver Streets Partnership Executive Director Jill Locantore said while she wasn’t ready to get out the pom-poms, the state data is a good sign.

“We’re always cautious with just one year’s or a partial year’s worth of data, whether that truly is a trend or if it was a minor variation or will go back up again,” Locantore said.

Denver city officials tracked 30 traffic deaths in the first half of the year compared to 41 deaths in the first half of 2023, according to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

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City officials have been working to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries through the Vision Zero initiative since 2016, including recent projects on North Federal Boulevard, West Colfax Avenue and Green Valley Ranch Boulevard.

“Eight years after the city first committed to Vision Zero, we’re going to start seeing enough of an aggregate change in street design that it’s possible we’re starting to see a bend in the curve,” Locantore said.

One example is a new bikeway and “traffic calming” infrastructure on streets like Broadway, Locantore said.

“Those are the kinds of changes that make the streets safer for everyone, not just people on bikes, and what we want to see on more big arterial streets like Broadway,” she said.

Another factor in reducing traffic deaths is increasing police enforcement, Cole said.

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Colorado State Patrol troopers have used regular patrols as well as surge operations in high-crash areas like Interstate 25, U.S. 36 and Federal Boulevard to try to prevent crashes, said Trooper Sherri Mendez.

“We want to make it to where there’s zero traffic fatalities, and we’re going to keep proceeding like this until it gets to zero,” Mendez said.

State officials will continue leaning on evidence-based approaches to reduce the number of people who die in crashes every year, from getting people to the hospital faster after a crash to putting in more rumble strips, Cole said.

“This is really encouraging and an indication that some of those risky driving behaviors people adopted during the pandemic are finally starting to wane,” he said.

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Colorado terror attack suspect Mohamed Soliman formally slapped with 118 charges for antisemitic firebombing attack: court docs

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Colorado terror attack suspect Mohamed Soliman formally slapped with 118 charges for antisemitic firebombing attack: court docs


Accused Colorado terrorist Mohamed Sabry Soliman was formally slapped with a whopping 118 criminal counts by state prosecutors Thursday for the horrific firebombing attack on people participating in a march to honor Israeli hostages days earlier.

Soliman, 45 — an Egyptian national who was living in the US illegally after his visa expired on March 28 — is now facing 28 counts of attempted murder for allegedly spraying a homemade flamethrower and hurling Molotov cocktails at the peaceful marchers in Boulder Sunday, according to court documents.

The hate-filled madman allegedly injured 15 people, ranging in age from 25 to 88, and one dog on Sunday when he attacked Run for Their Lives, an organization advocating for the release of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman virtually appears in court from the Boulder County Jail on June 5, 2025. Reuters

Three burn victims remain in the hospital, according to reports.

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Soliman, who lived in Colorado Springs, reportedly said “he wanted them to all die and that was [his] plan. He said he would go back and do it again and had no regret doing what he did,” Boulder Detective John Sailer wrote in an affidavit for his arrest warrant. 

Soliman – who shouted “Free Palestine” after the attack – stood behind a transparent partition in court Thursday as the charges were announced.

In addition to attempted murder, the alleged terrorist was also charged with several counts of use of an explosive or incendiary device and assault on a person over the age of 70, and one count of cruelty towards animals, according to court docs. 

If convicted, Soliman could be looking at nearly 700 years behind bars, according to Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty.

Soliman allegedly sprayed a homemade flamethrower and hurled Molotov cocktails at the peaceful marchers in Boulder on June 1, 2025. AP
Soliman reportedly said “he wanted them to all die and that was [his] plan.

“The charges reflect the evidence we have regarding this horrific attack that took place and the seriousness of it,” Dougherty told reporters outside the courthouse. “I encourage all of us to continue to lift up the victims, and support them and their loved ones and the Jewish community in response to this crime.”

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Additional charges could be brought by prosecutors as new evidence is unearthed in the ongoing investigation into the antisemitic Boulder attack, authorities have said.

Soliman, who overstayed his visa, is also facing charges from federal prosecutors — including federal hate crime charges, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Additional charges could be brought by prosecutors as new evidence is unearthed in the ongoing investigation into the antisemitic Boulder attack, authorities have said. via REUTERS

Since the attack ICE detained Soliman’s wife and five children who now face expedited deportation. 

His next court date is on July 15.

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Trump signs travel ban on 12 countries after Colorado attack

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Trump signs travel ban on 12 countries after Colorado attack


US President Donald Trump participates in a Summer Soiree on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 4, 2025. Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump signed a new travel ban Wednesday targeting 12 countries, saying it was spurred by an attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado that authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally.

The ban, which strongly resembles a similar measure taken in his first presidency, targets nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

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It will go into effect on June 9, the White House said.

READ: ‘Antipathy’ to US: Tourists turning away from Trump’s America

Trump also imposed a partial ban on travelers from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, the White House said.

“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” Trump said in a video message from the Oval Office posted on X.

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“We don’t want them.”

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Trump compared the new measures to the “powerful” ban he imposed on a number of mainly Muslim countries in his first term, which he said had stopped the United States suffering attacks that happened in Europe.

READ: What we know about the suspect and victims in Boulder, Colorado, attack

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“We will not let what happened in Europe happen in America,” Trump said.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen. That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.”

Rumors of a new Trump travel ban had circulated following the attack in Colorado, with his administration vowing to pursue “terrorists” living in the US on visas.

Suspect Mohammed Sabry Soliman is alleged to have thrown fire bombs and sprayed burning gasoline at a group of people who had gathered on Sunday in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

US Homeland Security officials said Soliman was in the country illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa, but that he had applied for asylum in September 2022.

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“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said on X.

“These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information.”



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‘Incredibly special moment’: Colorado Springs firefighters help deliver baby

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‘Incredibly special moment’: Colorado Springs firefighters help deliver baby


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – It’s a girl!

Colorado Springs firefighters helped deliver a baby on the southwest side of the city on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

CSFD shared the sweet moment in a post to social media about an hour after baby girl’s arrival. Officials said crews were dispatched to an “imminent delivery” in the Cheyenne Mountain area Wednesday afternoon, and Engine 4 crews and AMR both worked to help mom deliver the baby at around 2:20 p.m.

“We are thrilled we got to be there for the incredibly special moment,” the post reads. “It’s not every day we get to deliver a baby!”

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CSFD said mom and baby are both doing great!

According to CSFD, last year, the department delivered 44 babies.

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