An 82-year-old woman who was injured in a firebomb attack in Boulder,
Colorado, has died
[July 01, 2025]
By COLLEEN SLEVIN and MEAD GRUVER
DENVER (AP) — An 82-year-old Colorado woman who was injured in a Molotov
cocktail attack on demonstrators in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza
has died, prosecutors said Monday.
Karen Diamond died as a result of the severe injuries she suffered in
the June 1 attack in downtown Boulder, Colorado, the local district
attorney's office said in a statement. Prosecutors have listed 29
victims, including 13 who were physically injured.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman already faced dozens of charges in state court
including attempted first-degree murder, using an incendiary device, and
animal cruelty because a dog was hurt in the attack. He has not been
arraigned on those charges that now include first-degree murder.
The Associated Press left a voicemail Monday for Soliman's public
defender in the state case. The office generally bars its lawyers from
commenting on their cases to the media. A preliminary hearing to
determine whether there's enough evidence for a trial is set for July
15.
Separately, Soliman has been indicted on 12 federal hate crime counts.
He entered a not guilty plea to those charges in federal court on
Friday.
Leaders of the Boulder Jewish Community Center announced in an email
Monday that Diamond died June 25 and said she will be deeply missed.
“Karen was a cherished member of our community, someone whose warmth and
generosity left a lasting impact on all who knew her,” executive
director Jonathan Lev and board chair David Paul said.
Diamond helped at her synagogue and volunteered for several local
groups, including the University of Colorado University Women's Club and
a local music festival.
Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement Monday that he was devastated by
Diamond’s death, and that it will be felt deeply by the city of Boulder,
the state and the Jewish community.
“Karen was taken from us too soon, and we mourn her loss while
remembering her life and the impact she had on those who loved her,”
Polis said.
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Prosecutors said Diamond’s family has asked for privacy.
Diamond and her husband were enthusiastic volunteers since the 1990s
for a local historic preservation organization, Historic Boulder,
Inc. The couple often helped with public tours of old homes, said
Melanie Muckle, the organization’s administrator.
“Their generosity with their time and their talent and their
kindness, I can’t overstate that,” Muckle said.
During the demonstration, Soliman posed as a gardener and wore a
construction vest to get close to the group before launching the
attack, prosecutors allege.
Investigators say Soliman told them he intended to kill the
participants at the weekly demonstration. He yelled “Free Palestine”
as he threw just two of more than two dozen Molotov cocktails he had
prepared.
Prosecutors have identified 29 people who are considered victims of
the attack, including 13 who were physically injured. The others
were nearby and are considered victims because they could have been
hurt. A dog was also injured in the attack.
Prosecutors previously said there were 15 victims but the number has
increased as investigators discovered more people who were at the
scene.
The victims were targeted because of their perceived or actual
national origin, prosecutors allege. An attack motivated by
someone’s political views is not considered a hate crime under
federal law.
Soliman told investigators he tried to buy a gun but was not able to
because he was not a “legal citizen.” Federal authorities have said
the Egyptian national has been living in the U.S. illegally with his
family.
___
Gruver reporter from Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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