An elderly woman, aged 82, has tragically passed away due to injuries sustained in what has been reported as a Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder, Colorado. The prosecution, in light of this unfortunate development, has upgraded the initial attempted murder charge to a full murder charge.
Karen Diamond, the victim, died tragically as a result of the severe injuries that she suffered on June 1, according to the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. She is the sole fatality from this attack, as confirmed by the prosecutors.
In a moving statement, the Boulder Jewish Community Center leaders expressed their grief, describing Karen as a cherished member of their community whose warmth and generosity had a profound effect on all who knew her. District Attorney Michael Dougherty has assured that their office will strive for justice for the victims, their loved ones, and the community.
During the investigation, the district attorney’s office also reported finding an additional 14 victims, leading to 66 more counts being added to the state indictment against the accused, one Mohamed Soliman.
On the day of the attack, June 1, Soliman is alleged to have thrown Molotov cocktails at a group advocating for the release of Israeli hostages outside the Boulder courthouse. The incident resulted in injuries to more than a dozen people.
The alleged attacker, Soliman, reportedly yelled ‘Free Palestine’ during the attack. He was said to have informed police that the attack had been a year in planning. Court documents further reveal that Soliman allegedly expressed a desire to ‘kill all Zionist people’. Soliman, currently in federal custody, entered a plea of not guilty to federal hate crime charges last week.
The state charges against Soliman now include first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and first-degree assault, according to the prosecutors. A preliminary hearing in the state case has been scheduled for July 15.
This tragic incident raises important questions about community safety, the rise of hate crimes, and the broader implications for society.
