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http://www.kirotv.com/news/9595216/detail.html
1 Killed, Several Wounded In Downtown Shooting Spree
POSTED: 4:27 pm PDT July 28, 2006
UPDATED: 6:42 pm PDT July 28, 2006
SEATTLE -- A gunman apparently angry over the situation in the Middle East walked into a Jewish group's building in downtown Seattle Friday afternoon and opened fire, killing one person and wounding five or six others.
Officers quickly took a man into custody and began searching for a possible accomplice while medics treated and transported victims. Police evacuated the area and closed streets for the investigation.
A vehicle police believe belongs to the gunman -- a white Mazda pickup with Washington license plates -- was checked for explosives and towed away.
Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Helen Fitzpatrick confirmed one person had died but had no additional information about that victim.
At least two women, ages 23 and 29, were shot, a third woman was shot, and one person suffered a knee injury that may have been caused by shattered glass or a gunshot, Fitzpatrick said.
The shooting happened at 4 p.m. at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle on Third Avenue near Virginia Street.
Callers reported the shooting at 4:03 p.m., a police official told reporters. Minutes later, a 911 call came from the suspect, who claimed he had hostages. A police sergeant got on the phone with the man and persuaded him to go outside and give himself up.
Officers searched buildings in the area of the shooting to make sure there was no other gunman, but by 5:45 p.m. a spokesman said officers were confident that only one man was involved in the shooting spree.
A witness said the gunman told staff members at the Jewish Federation: "I'm a Muslim American. I'm angry at Israel."
Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel said detectives are investigating whether the shooting was random or religious- or culturally-motivated.
A bulletin went out to local police, notifying officers of addresses of Jewish centers in the area, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.
In Tacoma, police stood outside a synagogue as Friday night services got under way.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle was a sponsor of an Israel solidarity rally on Mercer Island last Saturday, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.
The federation's Web site describes its mission as "to ensure Jewish survival and enhance the quality of Jewish life by meeting needs locally, in Israel and worldwide."
Patti Simon was at work at the federation's newspaper on the first floor when she heard screaming, shots and what sounded like furniture crashing on the floor above.
"We heard this horrible screaming on the floor above us and shots," said Simon, 52, who sells advertising at the paper. "We didn't know what was happening."
Simon called up to her co-workers on the second floor, but got no answer, so she called the police and fled the building.
"People got shot, some of our co-workers," Simon said, her voice shaking. "I just got back from Israel and made it out of there a half hour before the rockets started."
Simon said the federation has security in the building.
"Somebody must have lied their way in," Simon said.
http://www.kirotv.com/news/9595216/detail.html
1 Killed, Several Wounded In Downtown Shooting Spree
POSTED: 4:27 pm PDT July 28, 2006
UPDATED: 6:42 pm PDT July 28, 2006
SEATTLE -- A gunman apparently angry over the situation in the Middle East walked into a Jewish group's building in downtown Seattle Friday afternoon and opened fire, killing one person and wounding five or six others.
Officers quickly took a man into custody and began searching for a possible accomplice while medics treated and transported victims. Police evacuated the area and closed streets for the investigation.
A vehicle police believe belongs to the gunman -- a white Mazda pickup with Washington license plates -- was checked for explosives and towed away.
Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Helen Fitzpatrick confirmed one person had died but had no additional information about that victim.
At least two women, ages 23 and 29, were shot, a third woman was shot, and one person suffered a knee injury that may have been caused by shattered glass or a gunshot, Fitzpatrick said.
The shooting happened at 4 p.m. at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle on Third Avenue near Virginia Street.
Callers reported the shooting at 4:03 p.m., a police official told reporters. Minutes later, a 911 call came from the suspect, who claimed he had hostages. A police sergeant got on the phone with the man and persuaded him to go outside and give himself up.
Officers searched buildings in the area of the shooting to make sure there was no other gunman, but by 5:45 p.m. a spokesman said officers were confident that only one man was involved in the shooting spree.
A witness said the gunman told staff members at the Jewish Federation: "I'm a Muslim American. I'm angry at Israel."
Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel said detectives are investigating whether the shooting was random or religious- or culturally-motivated.
A bulletin went out to local police, notifying officers of addresses of Jewish centers in the area, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.
In Tacoma, police stood outside a synagogue as Friday night services got under way.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle was a sponsor of an Israel solidarity rally on Mercer Island last Saturday, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.
The federation's Web site describes its mission as "to ensure Jewish survival and enhance the quality of Jewish life by meeting needs locally, in Israel and worldwide."
Patti Simon was at work at the federation's newspaper on the first floor when she heard screaming, shots and what sounded like furniture crashing on the floor above.
"We heard this horrible screaming on the floor above us and shots," said Simon, 52, who sells advertising at the paper. "We didn't know what was happening."
Simon called up to her co-workers on the second floor, but got no answer, so she called the police and fled the building.
"People got shot, some of our co-workers," Simon said, her voice shaking. "I just got back from Israel and made it out of there a half hour before the rockets started."
Simon said the federation has security in the building.
"Somebody must have lied their way in," Simon said.
