Replies

05:55 PM PDT on Friday, July 28, 2006

KING5.com and Wire Reports

SEATTLE – One person has been killed and at least five others have been injured in a shooting at the Jewish Federation at 2031 Third Ave. in downtown Seattle. One suspect has been taken into custody.

Police have taken one person into custody. Seattle police spokesman Rich Pruitt said police are confident that only one shooter was involved.

Sources told KING 5 the suspect is a Pakistani man with a criminal background. He is from the Tri-Cities but his citizenship is unknown. Officials are on the way to the Tri-Cities to interview his family.

According to the Seattle Times, a man got through security at the Jewish Federation and told staff members, "I'm a Muslim American; I'm angry at Israel," then began shooting, according to Amy Wasser-Simpson, the vice president for planning and community services for the Jewish Federation.

A joint terrorism task force has moved in. SWAT teams and a bomb disposal unit are at the scene. The building is still being searched and a suspect vehicle is believed to be in a nearby garage at 1930 Third Ave. Police cordoned off part of the garage but have not allowed owners to retrieve their cars until they determine there are no explosives.

Police have secured all the roofs around the building while the suspect is being questioned, to make sure no one else is involved.

was shot in the arm. They were taken to Harborview Medical Center. Another person has a knee injury.

They have not yet been identified.

Five or six people, both women and men, have been wounded, police spokesperson Jim Pugel said.

He said he didn't know if all the people who were wounded were inside the building.

The person in custody appears to be the main suspect, Pugel said.

Police don’t know how the suspect got into the building, which is said to be one of the tightest security buildings in Seattle.

The incident began around 4 p.m.

Part of Third Avenue and Second Avenue near Lenora and Stewart have been closed to traffic. Police are urging people to stay away from the area.

At least three people were seen emerging from the two-story building, escorted by police. It's not known if they were hostages. One witness said the shooter shot a woman as she was walking into the building. Another witness said she saw a woman sitting down, bleeding, outside the building.

Several witnesses said they saw a man walk up to the entrance of the building and shoot a woman in the leg. The man then walked into the building and made it up to the roof.

Witnesses said they heard one shot while the man was on the roof. The man then went back inside and witnesses said they heard several more shots.

One wounded victim was initially unable to get to an ambulance because the situation was apparently too dangerous.

It's not yet known if the incident is politically motivated. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle says on its Web site that its mission is to "ensure Jewish survival and enhance the quality of Jewish life locally, in Israel and worldwide."

This past Sunday at Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island, thousands of people rallied in support of Israel's right to defend itself. More than 40 community organizations stepped forward to sponsor and support the event.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_072806WABshootingEL.3d89c1.html