Elderly woman dies of injuries from Boulder firebombing

An 82-year-old woman died after an attack at a Jewish community event in Boulder. Photo / Getty Images

An 82-year-old woman attacked at a Jewish community event in Boulder, Colorado, this month has died, prompting prosecutors to file the first murder charge against the suspect.

More than a dozen people were injured in the June 1 assault on a demonstration voicing support for Israeli hostages in Gaza. But Karen Diamond’s death from injuries she sustained at the event marked the first fatality, according to an email from the Boulder Jewish Community Centre.

“There are simply no words to properly express the pain of this tragic loss. Karen was a cherished member of our community, someone whose warmth and generosity left a lasting impact on all who knew her,” wrote Boulder JCC executive director Jonathan Lev and board chair David Paul.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman was charged with a federal hate crime and faces state charges of attempted murder after the attack. Soliman yelled “Free Palestine” while using a flamethrower and tossing an incendiary device into the crowd, where the local chapter of a pro-Israeli group, Run for Their Lives, was hosting an event calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, law enforcement officials have said. Soliman learned about the group from an online search and specifically targeted it, according to court documents.

Soliman’s first-degree murder charge carries a penalty of life without the possibility of parole if he is convicted, according to prosecutors. Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020.

“This horrific attack has now claimed the life of an innocent person who was beloved by her family and friends,” Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty wrote in a news release. “Our hearts are with the Diamond family during this incredibly difficult time. Our office will fight for justice for the victims, their loved ones, and the community.”

Colorado Governor Jared Polis wrote on X that he was “devastated” by Diamond’s death. “This loss is deeply felt by the Boulder community and our entire state, particularly within our strong Jewish community. My heartfelt condolences go out to her friends and family. 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,” he wrote.

Hostages and Missing Families Forum – an umbrella group representing most of the hostage families from the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023 – released a statement saying they were thinking of Diamond and the other Run for Their Lives members: “Even now, as we mourn, we remain committed to our mission. 50 hostages are still in captivity. We will not stop until every one of them is home.”

Prosecutors said Soliman’s next scheduled court date for his state charges is July 15.