Latest news with #PearlStreetMall
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Boulder, Colorado police officers now take regular walks along Pearl Street weeks after deadly terror attack
Crowds of people come through downtown Boulder every day, and some have shared safety concerns with CBS Colorado's Your Boulder Reporter Sarah Horbacewicz. On Monday, she joined Boulder police for their new regular walk down the Pearl Street Mall to talk about how they're increasing security and making it more visible. While police were visible on Pearl Street on Wednesday afternoon, thankfully, they weren't responding to a call but rather a community need. New Boulder Police Department Mall Team Sergeant Bryan Capobianco explained, "This is kind of the cultural, economic center of Boulder as kind of the heart of the city, and therefore requires, I would say, specialized focus." On Monday, Capobianco and Boulder Police Department Commander Mike Heath began their first of what they plan to be regular walks on the mall, so residents and shop owners know where to find them. "Crime exists. There's no sugar coating it. We try to be everywhere at once, but obviously that's not possible," Capobianco said. The visibility follows the deadly terror attack on June 1 and a spree of chain attacks a few weeks ago. "The best thing that we can do to prevent incidents like what happened in the past is to be more present and act as a deterrent," Capobianco added. Boulder Police also hope the higher visibility and scheduled walks make them more accessible to people downtown. As they chatted with locals and visited businesses like Lindsay's Boulder Deli, they were met with a fairly positive response— including from the shop's owner, Lindsay Shaw. "Ninety percent of the time, it is really safe. But at night, or weird examples, in the afternoon… we just need this police presence," Shaw said. And while it's a step, Shaw talked to CBS Colorado and officers about more work that could be done to address downtown concerns. "We stay open until 11 o'clock at night. [Staff] gets out of here at 12 o'clock in the morning. And this 19-year-old woman, I don't want her to walk to her to walk to a car by herself if she doesn't feel comfortable," Shaw said. Right now, Boulder police say there's no regularly scheduled patrol shift on the Pearl Street mall after 7 p.m., but it could come in the future as the department hits full officer staffing. "If we could just keep them coming back to Pearl Street, coming back to the mall, because they do make it feel safe, it would be amazing," Shaw said.
USA Today
15-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Suspect in Boulder firebomb attack waives court hearing, faces murder charge
The man charged in the June 1 firebomb attack on a demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday as he appeared in state court. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, faces dozens of charges that include murder and attempted murder. He is accused of targeting the group at a pedestrian mall, attacking them with Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower, according to a criminal complaint. He faces over 180 charges from the state of Colorado, increased from an initial 118 charges after the later death of one of the injured victims and identification of more victims. He also faces a federal hate crime charge. Wearing a striped orange-and-white jumpsuit, Soliman agreed to his defense lawyer's request for the waiver, which means the court will find probable cause for all the state charges. Public defender Kathryn Herold also indicated she would pursue a continuance at Soliman's arraignment, now set for Sept. 9. Prosecutors say 13 people were injured in the attack at a Boulder street mall. Karen Diamond, 82, died of her injuries on June 25, officials have said. The charges include two counts of first-degree murder, 52 counts of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault, 18 counts of attempted assault, two counts of using an incendiary device, 16 counts of attempted use of an incendiary device and one count of animal cruelty (prosecutors said a dog was injured in the attack). The most serious charge, first-degree murder, carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Soliman could also face a life sentence if he's convicted of the federal hate crime charge. USA TODAY has reached out to Soliman's defense attorney. Soliman is an Egyptian native who authorities said overstayed a tourist visa to the United States. In the wake of the attack, Trump administration officials detained and threatened to deport his wife and children. What happened in the Boulder firebomb attack? The attack happened the afternoon of June 1 at the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, authorities said. The group Run for Their Lives was holding a weekly demonstration advocating for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants. Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails into the crowd while yelling, "Free Palestine," according to a federal criminal complaint. A Boulder police officer wrote in an arrest warrant that Soliman admitted to planning the attack for over a year and was waiting for his oldest daughter to graduate from high school, which she had days prior. Witnesses said he threw two Molotov cocktails and used a blow torch to set people on fire. Authorities said in the federal complaint that Soliman admitted to investigators that "he wanted to kill all Zionist people" and wanted to stop them from taking over "our land," referring to Palestine. Jewish woman died from injuries weeks after attack Diamond, a mother and grandmother, was among the group of demonstrators targeted in the attack, authorities said. She initially survived the assault but died more than three weeks later and was privately buried, according to authorities and members of her synagogue, Boulder's Bonai Shalom. "This horrific attack has now claimed the life of an innocent person who was beloved by her family and friends," Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. After Diamond's death, prosecutors amended two of the charges against Soliman from attempted murder to first-degree murder. One of the counts alleges murder under an extreme indifference theory and the other murder with intent and after deliberation, prosecutors said. Contributing: Trevor Hughes
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Yahoo
82-Year-Old Woman Dies From Injuries Sustained During Attack in Colorado
A woman has died a month after being injured during a mass attack in Boulder, Colorado. The Boulder County District Attorney says Karen Diamond, 82, died of injuries she suffered on the Pearl Street Mall when authorities say a man threw flaming objects at people marching in support of hostages held by Hamas on June 1. The suspect, Mohammed Soliman, 45, will now be charged with first degree murder, according to the DA. Inside Edition Digital's Mara Montalbano has more.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- BBC News
Woman dies from injuries suffered in Boulder antisemitic attack
An 82-year-old woman who was one of the 12 victims in an attack on a gathering in support of Israeli hostages has died from her injuries in Colorado, officials Diamond was severely injured after the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, shouting "free Palestine" tossed Molotov cocktails at the group in what federal officials have called a "terrorist attack". The suspect told police after he was arrested that he wanted to "kill all Zionist people", according to court of the death of one of the victims, prosecutors are now adding new first-degree murder charges in addition to multiple others faced by the suspect, who remains jailed. Diamond was among the 20 or so people gathered on 1 June to participate in a Run for Their Lives gathering at Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado, to generate awareness for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. She died as a result of "the severe injuries that she suffered in the attack", the district attorney's office said. "This horrific attack has now claimed the life of an innocent person who was beloved by her family and friends," District Attorney Michael Dougherty said. "Our hearts are with the Diamond family during this incredibly difficult time."Officials say the suspect planned the attack for a year, watching videos on how to make Molotov cocktails before driving from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder to carry out the attack. The suspect allegedly posed as a gardener wearing a construction vest to get close to the group ahead of the attack, prosecutors the scene of the crime, officials say they found 16 unlit Molotov cocktails in a plastic container within arm's reach, as well as a weed sprayer filled with week, Mr Soliman was indicted on 12 federal hate crime counts. He also faces at least 100 state criminal charges, including attempted murder. Mr Soliman's attorney, David Kraut, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf last week for the hate crime authorities say Mr Soliman, an Egyptian national, has been living in the US illegally with his family. Days after the attack his wife and five children were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Data from the Anti-Defamation League suggests antisemitic incidents spiked to a record level in 2023 and again in 2024.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Tourist details newly obtained video of Boulder attack showing people on fire
BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Mass confusion is how the man who recorded a video of the Boulder attack is describing Sunday's incident at the Pearl Street Mall. Alex Osante, a tourist, was visiting from San Diego when the situation unfolded. Witnesses describe 'terrifying' scene of attack at Pearl Street Mall in Boulder In the video, you can see the firebombs being thrown and people running around trying to get water and medical aid. Osante said the whole situation lasted about seven minutes before police arrived on scene. 'I came on vacation for one week to Aspen,' he said. 'After one week, I wanted to see Vail, Breckenridge, and then come to Boulder for one day.' On that Sunday afternoon, chaos ensued. 'I definitely didn't know anything about the walk or what was going on there. I was just having lunch across the street at an Italian restaurant,' Osante said. In the middle of his lunch, he heard a loud boom, and heard frantic screaming. 'When I turned over to look at what was going on, there were people just running around tripping and they were falling,' he said. 'It was hard to understand what was going on. There was a lot of confusion. There were five people that were on fire … who were burning.' Alex said he witnessed victims burning from head to toe. He, along with bystanders, helped provide water to those in distress. 'People from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities, as soon as this started happening, we all came together as a big group to find out a solution,' said Osante. Shortly after, he recorded the video so he could dissect what happened later. 'Thankfully, I started recording when I did, so we can capture what was happening there,' Osante said. 'Because I'm the only person who has the video from the beginning to the end showing what really happened, I was able to, after the fact, go back to the video and dissect it to see what really happened. So, when I go back and look at it, I see the man came out of the trees in the bushes a second time with the Molotov cocktails in his hand. He threw it at a lady and when he threw it at the lady, he lit himself on fire. When he lit himself on fire, he went up in flames.' Man helps pour water on victims in Boulder terror attack At the time, he didn't know the suspect was the one responsible for the tragedy. 'It was like, 'Why is this guy on fire?' He must not be one of the — he must not be the person causing this because he is on fire,' said Osante. 'He took off his vest and his shirt and was standing there holding two bottles. We didn't know what the bottles were, but they kind of looked like the bottles of water I was giving to the victims.' He says it's still hard to grasp what unfolded. 'I've been to 87 countries on vacation and all around the world, and never have I seen anything this crazy and this wild where people are on fire,' said Osante. 'I never expected anything like this to happen and it was a complete shock.' Osante said it was devastating to learn the cause of the tragedy. 'Let's make terrorism not great again,' he said. 'When I learned what was actually going on with the political agendas, all of the information we didn't understand at first, it magnified the amplitude and the chaotic experience we all went through. This is going on all over the world. People fighting against each other, happening all around the world, and it needs to stop.' This Sunday at noon, there will be a gathering for Boulder's weekly run for their lives walk as well as the annual Boulder Jewish Festival. In light of the tragedy, security is being coordinated with Boulder police and Colorado State Patrol. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
