 SEATTLE -- A man accused in the shooting rampage at Seattle's Jewish Federation office last week was charged Wednesday with nine felony counts, including aggravated first-degree murder and violation of the state's hate-crime law. "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."
| “Haq's court-appointed attorney said he would not comment until he had more time to review the case.” |
Naveed Afzal Haq is charged with aggravated first-degree murder in the death of Pamela Waechter, 58, director of the Jewish charity's annual fundraising campaign. Conviction is punishable either by life in prison or death; Maleng has 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty. Haq also is charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder in the wounding of five women at the federation's downtown offices Friday afternoon; 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. Haq's court-appointed attorney, C. Wesley Richards, said he would not comment until he had more time to review the case. Haq is being held in the King County Jail without bail. |