Boulder attacker pleads guilty to 12 hate crimes
“By his own admissions, Mohamed Soliman’s hateful attack on our neighbors in Boulder was antisemitic,” stated Peter McNeilly, U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado
Mohamed Sabry Soliman, of Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty on Thursday to 12 more federal charges, including nine hate crimes, for firebombing people who marched to support Israeli hostages in Gaza on June 1, 2025, in Boulder, Colo.
The 46-year-old admitted to lighting and throwing two Molotov cocktails at the group, which organized weekly walks calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza after Oct. 7. He killed Karen Diamond, 82, who died from her injuries three weeks later, and injured more than a dozen others.
“After over three weeks of painful treatment in the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries,” the Justice Department said of Diamond. “The defendant’s attack also caused significant injuries to seven other people who were present in front of the Boulder County Courthouse. Several of them, including Karen Diamond’s husband, were severely burned and spent weeks recovering in the hospital. Others were traumatized by the horrific scene that they witnessed.”
Soliman, who was sentenced in May to life in prison without possibility of parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder and 100 other charges, faces up to life in prison on nine counts. Each of the remaining three counts carries a maximum of 50 years, to be served consecutively to any other prison term. He also faces up to $500,000 in fines, the Justice Department said.
In his plea agreement, Soliman admitted that he targeted members of the Boulder chapter of Run for Their Lives because of their actual or perceived Israeli national origin and Jewish religion, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
“No one should be subjected to violence because of their religion or national origin,” stated Harmeet Dhillon, assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights. “With this plea, we hope to deliver a measure of justice to the victims and their families. The civil rights division remains committed to vigorously prosecuting the perpetrators of bias-motivated violence.”
“By his own admissions, Mohamed Soliman’s hateful attack on our neighbors in Boulder was antisemitic,” stated Peter McNeilly, U.S. attorney for the District of Colorado.
The initial affidavit described Soliman “planning the attack for a year.” It added that he “was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack.”
Investigators found at least 14 more, unlit Molotov cocktails near where he was arrested, according to the filing.
“He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” the affidavit stated. It noted that he shouted “free Palestine” during the attack.
Melat Kiros, a democratic socialist running to unseat Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), said in June that she was unsure if the attack was antisemitic. “I don’t know what was in the heart of the perpetrator,” Kiros said. (JNS sought comment from Kiros.)
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2027. PJC
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