Karen Diamond, a 82-year-old woman, dies following fatal Boulder attack charges are now murder.
Karen Diamond, the 82-year-old woman who was attacked during June 1st protests in Boulder, Colorado, has died, officials announced Monday. The incident occurred at a demonstration supporting the release of Hamas hostages. Officials have now increased the charges against suspect Mohamed Soliman to two counts of murder.
Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty’s office confirmed in a release that Ms. Diamond ‘died tragically as a result of the severe injuries she sustained in the attack.’ Dougherty expressed profound sorrow, stating, “This horrific attack has now taken the life of an innocent person who was cherished by her family and friends.” He added, “Our hearts are with the Diamond family during this incredibly difficult time.”
Soliman, an Egyptian citizen residing in Colorado Springs with his wife and five children, faces an additional 66 charges relating to 14 other identified victims stemming from the ongoing probe. He is also charged with a federal hate crime.
Information from Soliman’s arrest warrant suggests he had planned the attack for a year, intending to act after his teenage daughter’s high school graduation. She graduated just days before the assault, which utilized homemade flamethrowers against attendees of a ‘Run For Their Lives’ event on Boulder’s Pearl Street pedestrian mall.
Karen Diamond’s death occurred on June 25th, and her family had a private burial before Shabbat, according to Boulder Rabbi Marc Soloway, who shared the news in the Boulder Jewish News. He lamented, “This event and the tragic loss of someone who has dedicated so much of herself to the Bonai community and beyond has impacted us all, leaving us sad and horrified. We will need to support each other as we process this loss.”
Ms. Diamond is survived by her husband, two sons, their respective spouses, and five grandsons. Her family has requested privacy.
The District Attorney’s office release also detailed that the amended complaint includes charges against Soliman for a total of 29 victims involved in the attack. It states that 13 of these individuals suffered physical injuries during the assault. The charges now include two counts of first-degree murder, 52 counts of attempted first-degree murder, 8 counts of first-degree assault, 18 counts of attempted first-degree assault, 2 counts of using an incendiary device, 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device, and one count of animal cruelty.
