Woman, 82, Injured in Colo. Firebomb Attack Dies

DENVER (AP) — An 82-year-old Colorado woman who was injured in a Molotov cocktail attack on demonstrators in support of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip has died, prosecutors said Monday.

Karen Diamond died as a result of the injuries she suffered in the June 1 attack in downtown Boulder, Colorado, the local district attorney's said in a statement. Prosecutors have listed 29 victims, including 13 who were physically injured.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman already faced dozens of charges in state court including attempted first-degree murder, using an incendiary device, and animal cruelty because a dog was hurt in the attack. He has not been arraigned on those charges that now include first-degree murder.

The Associated Press left a voice message Monday for Soliman's public defender in the state case. The office generally bars its lawyers from commenting on their cases to the media. A preliminary hearing to determine whether there's enough evidence for a trial is set for July 15.

Separately, Soliman has been indicted on 12 federal hate crime counts. He pleaded not guilty to those charges in federal court on Friday.

Leaders of the Boulder Jewish Community Center announced in an email Monday that Diamond died June 25 and said she will be deeply missed.

"Karen was a cherished member of our community, someone whose warmth and generosity left a lasting impact on all who knew her," executive director Jonathan Lev and board chair David Paul said.

Diamond helped at her synagogue and volunteered for several groups, including the University of Colorado University Women's Club and a music festival.

Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement Monday that he was devastated by Diamond's death, and that it will be felt deeply by the city of Boulder, the state and the Jewish community.

"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," Polis said.

Prosecutors said Diamond's family has asked for privacy.

Diamond and her husband were enthusiastic volunteers since the 1990s for a historic preservation organization, Historic Boulder Inc. The couple often helped with public tours of old houses, said Melanie Muckle, the organization's administrator.

"Their generosity with their time and their talent and their kindness, I can't overstate that," Muckle said.

At the demonstration, Soliman posed as a gardener and wore a construction vest to get close to the group before launching the attack, prosecutors allege.

Investigators say Soliman told them he intended to kill the participants at the weekly demonstration. He yelled "Free Palestine" as he threw just two of more than two dozen Molotov cocktails he had prepared.

Prosecutors previously said there were 15 victims, but the number has increased as investigators discovered more people who were at the scene.

The victims were targeted because of their perceived or actual national origin, prosecutors allege. An attack motivated by someone's political views is not considered a hate crime under federal law.

Soliman told investigators he tried to buy a gun but was not able to because he was not a "legal citizen." Federal authorities have said the Egyptian national has been living in the U.S. illegally with his family.

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Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming.