By David Zalubowski – AP | The Denver Gazette
A woman injured in the Boulder Pearl Street Mall attack earlier this month has died, leading the Boulder District Attorney’s Office to file murder charges against an Egyptian national accused of carrying out the attack.
Officials said Karen Diamond, 82, died as a result of the severe injuries she suffered after a suspect threw Molotov cocktails at a group of protesters pressing for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The number of people injured during the June 1 attack, initially set at 15, has grown to 29, according to the district attorney’s office. The attack also injured a dog.
“There are no words to express the pain of this horrific loss of our beloved member and friend,” Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom wrote in the Boulder Jewish News.
Diamond died in the afternoon of June 25, the paper said.
Soloway described Diamond as a “deeply loving and loved woman.”
On Monday morning, the Boulder District Attorney’s Office announced it amended two charges against Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, to murder in the first degree. One charge alleged extreme indifference, and the other covered “murder with intent and after deliberation.”
Authorities said Soliman hurled Molotov cocktails at members of Run for Their Lives, a group that aims to raise awareness of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. The group had been marching down the mall every Sunday.
In addition to charges relating to Diamond’s death, the district attorney’s office said the investigation identified more victims of the attack.
In total, prosecutors added 66 counts, related to 14 additional victims.
The amended charges identified a total of 29 victims, 13 of whom suffered physical injuries.
The amended complaint now contains the following: two counts of first degree murder, 52 counts of attempted first degree murder, eight counts of first degree assault, 18 counts of attempted first degree assault, two counts of third degree assault, two counts of using an incendiary device, 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device and one count of animal cruelty.
“This horrific attack has now claimed the life of an innocent person who was beloved by her family and friends. Our hearts are with the Diamond family during this incredibly difficult time,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a news release.
“Our office will fight for justice for the victims, their loved ones, and the community. Part of what makes Colorado special is that people come together in response to a tragedy. I know that the community will continue to unite in supporting the Diamond family and all the victims of this attack,” he added.
In a statement, Boulder officials extended their condolences to the Diamond family.
“We also continue to hold the other victims close as they fight to recover from lasting physical and emotional trauma,” the officials said. “This is an unfathomable loss for our Jewish community, still reeling from this act of hatred and violence, and we stand with them in support and solidarity.”
Diamond was active in Boulder.
In 2019, she won the Margaret Willard Award for contributions and community work from the Boulder University Women’s Club, where she once served as president and held various board roles.
“Karen Diamond typifies all the attributes UWC celebrates in the women receiving this prestigious award,” the club said in a post describing her work. “In every organization and community function in which Karen has participated, she has contributed significantly to growth and development with her volunteerism, her leadership, and her gracious good will.”
At her synagogue, she chaired the “Scrip” program for 25 years and made deliveries “whenever needed to elderly and immobile congregants.”
When the 2013 Colorado floods left her synagogue damaged, Diamond, deploying her skills in interior design, played a major role in its reconstruction and refurbishing.
She also served on the Board of Hadassah, an international Jewish women’s organization, for more than 30 years.
A music lover, Diamond supported a variety of programs, such as the Chautauqua Music Festival and the Boulder Philharmonic.
Diamond raised two sons and had five grandchildren, according to her biography from 2019.
In a statement, Gov. Jared Polis expressed devastation at Diamond’s death.
“This loss is deeply felt by the Boulder community and our entire state, particularly within our strong Jewish community,” Polis said.
Officials from the Anti-Defamation League echoed that sentiment.
“We are devastated by the loss of this beloved member of the Boulder community. Her death highlights the danger of antisemitic rhetoric becoming normalized in our country, resulting in increasing levels of violence aimed at the Jewish community,” said Susan Rona, regional director for the group’s Mountain states region.