The man accused in last week’s shooting rampage at the Jewish Federation office that left one woman dead was charged Wednesday with nine felony counts, including violation of the state’s hate-crime law.
Naveed Afzal Haq is charged with aggravated first-degree murder in the death of Pamela Waechter, 58, director of the Jewish charity’s annual fund-raising campaign. Five other women were wounded.
Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty.
“Make no mistake, this was a hate crime,” King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng told a news conference. “The attack on these women was an attack on the Jewish community, not only in Seattle but throughout our nation and the world.”
The gunman broke into the charity’s building on Friday. According to court documents, Haq talked to 911 operators from the office, identified himself by name and said: “This is a hostage situation, and I want these Jews to get out.”
He later added: “These are Jews, and I’m tired of getting pushed around and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East.”
Haq, 30, is also charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder; one count of first-degree kidnapping, involving a teenage girl who was briefly taken hostage; one count of first-degree burglary for allegedly entering a locked facility to commit a crime; and one count of malicious harassment under the state’s hate-crime law. Arraignment was scheduled for Aug. 10.