An 82-year-old woman has died of injuries suffered in a recent firebombing attack on a crowd in Boulder, Colorado, during protests for the release of Israeli hostages.
According to The Colorado Sun, "Karen Diamond, one of 29 victims in the attack, died of severe injuries, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Monday announcing additional charges against the suspect, Mohamed Soliman." This suspect "now faces two counts of first-degree murder, both connected to Diamond’s death, as well as 12 federal hate crimes and at least 100 state criminal charges in the June 1 attack."
The attack, which took place on the Pearl Street Mall, targeted a group of people who had peacefully marched every week for two years on behalf of the hostages seized by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack, which led to the Israeli invasion and occupation of Gaza.
Witnesses said the attacker, who had reportedly plotted the firebombing for a year, approached them disguised as a gardener before shouting "Free Palestine!" and setting members of the crowd on fire with Molotov cocktails.
“Karen was a cherished member of our community, someone whose warmth and generosity left a lasting impact on all who knew her,” said Boulder Jewish Community Center executive director Jonathan Lev and board chair David Paul in an emailed statement.
The attack in Boulder raised alarm bells among Jewish lawmakers around the country, with many fearing for their safety.
President Donald Trump's administration vowed to carry out an expedited deportation of Soliman, but also suggested they could deport his entire family along with him. Authorities have provided no evidence that his wife or kids were involved in the attack, and the move led to outcry and accusations of unlawful collective punishment.