Seattle Jewish Federation shooting | |
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Flowers placed outside the Jewish Federation building to memorialize the shooting.
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Location | Seattle, Washington, United States |
Date | July 28, 2006 c. 4:00 p.m.-4:15 p.m. (UTC-7) |
Attack type
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Mass shooting, hostage crisis |
Weapons | |
Deaths | 1 |
Non-fatal injuries
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6 (5 from gunfire) |
Perpetrator | Naveed Afzal Haq |
The Seattle Jewish Federation shooting occurred on July 28, 2006, at around 4:00 p.m. PT, when Naveed Afzal Haq shot six women, one fatally, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle building in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Naveed Haq was convicted in December 2009 and sentenced to life without parole plus 120 years. Police have classified the shooting as a "hate crime" based on what Haq is alleged to have said during a 9-1-1 call.King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng described the shooting as "one of the most serious crimes that has ever occurred in this city".
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske alleged that the suspect, Naveed Afzal Haq, had selected his target by researching "something Jewish" on the Internet. Haq, living in Pasco, Washington, is said to have legally purchased two semiautomatic handguns in local Tri-Cities area stores, receiving the weapons on July 27, 2006, after the mandatory waiting period had expired. Haq allegedly received a traffic ticket on the way to the shooting, but did nothing to arouse the officer's suspicions.
Shortly before 4:00 p.m., Haq is reported to have forced his way through the Jewish Federation building's security door armed with two semi-automatic pistols (a Smith & Wesson .45-caliber handgun and a .40-caliber handgun), a knife, and extra ammunition. Police believe Haq entered the lobby of the building and grabbed the 14-year-old niece of Federation employee Cheryl Stumbo. Haq allegedly held a gun to the girl's back and forced her to use the intercom in order to gain entry to the Federation's offices.