Naveed Afzal Haq

Case identifiers

• Name: Naveed Afzal Haq

Background

Naveed Afzal Haq was an American man of Pakistani descent. He was born September 23, 1975.

Haq was the son of a prominent Muslim-American leader in the Tri-Cities area. Haq’s father, Mian Haq, worked at the Hanford nuclear facility and helped found the local Islamic Center.

Haq graduated from Richland High School in 1994. One of his classmates described him as a "pretty calm, collected, happy guy." Another classmate told The Seattle Times that Haq "was never up front about his faith or religion."

Haq was reported to have attended dentistry school at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for four years before dropping out. He then completed a degree in electrical engineering at Washington State University (WSU), but was allegedly incapable of holding down a job. By all accounts, Haq had few close friends. A Seattle Times article quoted "the only friend Haq listed on the social-networking site, Friendster.com", a man from a Hindu background, as saying, "I'm beginning to think I was his only friend in the Tri-Cities. I don't recall him hanging out with anybody else."

Seattle alternative weekly The Stranger described Wick Renner, Haq’s former WSU classmate and "best friend", more recently his housemate in Everett, Washington, as having been "frustrated with [Haq's] aimlessness." Prior to the shooting spree, Renner said Haq had spent "an idle summer in a studio apartment flirting with women on the internet."

Haq was married briefly in an arranged marriage in 2001 in Pakistan. The marriage was apparently unconsummated, and he returned to America without his bride.

Minor brushes with the law

Haq had a series of minor brushes with the law, especially traffic violations, but no serious criminal record.

In March 2006, Haq was arrested for public exposure at the Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick, Washington. He was allegedly standing on a fountain near a Macy's store and harassing women at the nearby store's makeup counter. At one point, he exposed his penis to young women passing by the fountain.

One of Haq’s friends told The Seattle Times that the suspect was taking medication for bipolar disorder and that he was unhappy with his life and sometimes made anti-Semitic remarks offhandedly. Another Times article said Haq’s parents had witnessed Haq’s struggle with mental illness for years.

Christian beliefs

Haq grew up as a Muslim. He underwent Christian baptism in December 2005 and attended a Bible study group for several months.

The Bible study group leader, Albert Montelongo, said that Haq had been suffering from bipolar disorder, which was attributed to the conflict with his family over his religious conversion. Montelongo added that he thought Haq was succeeding in dealing with "his own anger" the last time he saw him. Montelongo said Haq told them he was moving to Seattle in search of employment.

Haq had recently won an essay contest for a United States Institute of Peace scholarship.

Other legal matters mentioned

Haq was reported to have a misdemeanor lewd conduct charge pending in Benton County after allegedly exposing himself in a public place. Haq lived in Pasco, Washington.

The offence

The Seattle Jewish Federation shooting occurred on July 28, 2006, at around 4:00 p.m. Pacific time. Haq shot six women, one fatally, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle building in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.

Police classified the shooting as a "hate crime" based on what Haq was alleged to have said during a 9-1-1 call.

Events described included that Haq selected his target by researching "something Jewish" on the Internet.

Haq legally purchased two semi-automatic handguns in Seattle-area stores. He received the weapons on July 27, 2006, after the mandatory waiting period had expired. Haq was reported to have received a traffic ticket on the way to the shooting, but did nothing to arouse an officer's suspicions.

Shortly before 4 p.m., Haq forced his way through the Jewish Federation building's security door armed with two large-caliber semi-automatic pistols, a knife, and extra ammunition.

Police believed Haq entered the lobby of the building and grabbed the 14-year-old niece of Federation employee Cheryl Stumbo, whom Haq later shot. Haq held a gun to the girl’s back and forced her to use the intercom to request to be buzzed into the building. With a gun to her back, Haq reportedly told the girl, "Open the door," and "careful", as she was buzzed into the building. Haq then said, "I'm only doing this for a statement," and proceeded to follow the girl up the stairs to the second floor.

Haq stopped to ask receptionist Layla Bush about speaking with a manager, at which point the girl walked to a bathroom and locked herself inside.

Cheryl Stumbo asked fellow employee Carol Goldman to call 911. The niece heard her and dialed 911, but before Goldman could complete a call, Haq shot Goldman in the knee.

Witnesses reported that Haq began shouting "I'm a Muslim American; I'm angry at Israel" before he began his shooting spree. Haq then walked down the hallway, shooting into offices as he passed by.

Haq shot three more women in the abdomen: Layla Bush, Stumbo, and Christina Rexroad.

Pamela Waechter received a gunshot in the chest. As the wounded Waechter attempted to flee down a flight of stairs, Haq allegedly reached over the railing and shot her for the second time in the head, killing her.

Dayna Klein, a Federation employee who was five months pregnant, heard shots being fired and went to the door of her office. Haq fired at her abdomen, but the bullet missed, hitting her raised arm. Klein, bleeding profusely, crawled to her desk and dialed 911, despite Haq’s threats to kill anyone who called the police. Haq returned to Klein's office and discovered her on the phone. Haq reportedly shouted "Now since you don't know how to ... listen, now you're the hostage, and I don't give a (expletive) if I kill you or your baby."

Klein told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that Haq "...stated that he was a Muslim, (and) this was his personal statement against Jews and the Bush administration for giving money to Jews, and for us Jews for giving money to Israel, about Hezbollah, the war in Iraq, and he wanted to talk to CNN." Klein offered Haq the phone and suggested he tell the dispatcher what he had just told her. Still pointing his gun at Klein, Haq took the phone and informed the police that he had taken hostages. He repeated his previous explanation that he was upset about the war in Iraq and U.S. support of Israel. He also said, "[t]hese are Jews. I’m tired of getting pushed around, and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East."

He demanded that the US military get out of Iraq. He asked if he could be patched through to CNN. The dispatcher told Haq that wasn’t possible and informed him that talking with the media wouldn't alter U.S. policy. Haq calmed down and told the dispatcher that he would surrender. He put his guns down and walked silently out of the building with his hands on his head.

Haq surrendered at 4:15 and was taken into custody by police. At 10:38 PM he was booked into King County Jail on one count of investigation of homicide and five counts of investigation of attempted murder.

After the shooting, a SWAT team entered the building, looking for other victims or suspects, while police closed off several of the city’s main streets.

An FBI spokesman later said the shooting was most likely the work of a "lone individual acting out antagonism toward the organization," but added that "there's nothing to indicate that it's terrorism-related."

Investigation and classification

King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng described the shooting as "one of the most serious crimes that has ever occurred in this city". He also was quoted as saying, "Make no mistake, this is a hate crime" and that "there is no evidence the shooting itself was an act of terrorism".

The political and public debate included that Haq’s attack was labeled a hate crime rather than terrorism. Greg Nickels, the mayor of Seattle, said, "This was a purposeful, hateful act, as far as we know by an individual acting on his own."

Other commentary included a quote attributed to Cinnamon Stillwell: News of the shooting rampage at Seattle's Jewish Federation building last month involved the usual avoidance of the term "terrorism." Instead, the attack was labeled a hate crime and the perpetrator, Naveed Afzal Haq, just another in a long line of lone gunmen with a history of mental instability.

Seattle alternative weekly The Stranger included a view by Josh Feit and Brendan Kiley: While Haq's violence exploded inside a political context—the Jewish Federation, Israel's war in Lebanon—his motivations were those of a frustrated man, who, according to [his friend] Renner, didn't fit in anywhere and felt persecuted and embarrassed by his parents' Pakistani background. Haq is not a jihadi, nor a radical Islamist; his anti-Semitic rhetoric seems more like a veneer of politics on a man disturbed by feelings of inadequacy and rejection.

People involved (victims and others)

Pamela Waechter was the only fatality. She was the 58-year-old director of the Federation's annual fundraising campaign. She was described as a long-time volunteer for various social service organizations and as the mother of two adult children. She was shot first in the chest and then in the head while she was fleeing.

Christina Rexroad was 29 years old. She was a bookkeeper for the Federation and a resident of Everett, Washington. She was shot in the abdomen and critically wounded.

Cheryl Stumbo was 43 years old. She was the Federation's non-Jewish director of marketing and communications.

Layla Bush was 23 years old. She was an office manager and receptionist. She was shot in the shoulder and the abdomen.

According to her physician, the bullets damaged Bush's "liver, stomach, pancreas, left kidney and 'bruised' her heart" and would have killed her had one of the bullets struck her a half inch to the right.

As of August 28, 2006, Bush remained hospitalized with a bullet indefinitely lodged in her spine.

Carol Goldman was 35 years old. She was shot in the knee.

Dayna Klein was 37 years old and was five months pregnant at the time. She was responsible for development and major gifts to the organization. Her actions during the shooting were described as "heroic".

Tammy Kaiser was 33 years old. She was an adult education director for the Federation. She was briefly hospitalized for injuries she received after dropping from a second-story window to escape the shooter.

Legal proceedings

On July 29, 2006, Haq appeared in court for his bail hearing. King County, Washington District Court Judge Barbara Linde found probable cause to charge Haq with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Before proceedings began, Haq requested that the judge allow him to not attend the hearing. Linde denied both this request and another motion to bar cameras and video taping from the courtroom. Linde set Haq's bail at $50 million.

On August 2, 2006, Haq was formally charged with nine felonies: aggravated murder, five counts of attempted murder, kidnapping, burglary and malicious harassment. Malicious harassment was described as a hate crime under Washington State law.

Aggravated murder, described as the most serious of the nine charges, carried only two possible sentences in Washington: life in prison or the death penalty. The prosecution ultimately decided not to seek the death penalty because of Haq's history of mental illness.

During a hearing on August 10, 2006, Haq surprised the court by indicating he wished to enter a guilty plea on all charges. The judge refused to accept this plea before a competency hearing had been conducted. Experts consulted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer expressed doubts as to whether Haq would be allowed to plead guilty at such an early point because the prosecution had not yet decided whether Haq would face the death penalty.

On August 16, C. Wesley Richards, Haq’s attorney, told the court that Haq had changed his mind and chosen to plead not guilty. Richards said Haq was mentally competent to stand trial since he understood the charges against him and was capable of assisting in his own defense.

Norm Maleng was quoted on the death penalty decision and mental illness as a mitigating factor. Two of the victims, Layla Bush and Carol Goldman, publicly opposed charging the shooter with a capital crime, with both saying that death would be "too easy for him."

On December 20, 2006, Maleng announced Haq would not face execution but, if convicted, would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On April 14, 2008, Haq’s trial began in the King County Courthouse (Seattle). It was expected to last a minimum of 6-8 weeks and was being covered on Court TV.

On June 4, 2008, the jury found him not guilty on one count of attempted murder (for victim Carol Goldman). On the remaining counts, the jury declared itself to be hung. The judge declared a mistrial.

The second trial commenced in late 2009. On December 15, 2009, he was found guilty on all counts, including aggravated first-degree murder.

Sentencing

On December 15, 2009, Haq was sentenced to life without parole plus 120 years.

Other statements and reaction

The Federation issued a statement saying: "Our federation colleagues so unmercifully and viciously attacked were spending their day as they normally do, providing for social and humanitarian services that benefited all of metropolitan Seattle. The hatred and violence visited upon them today offends the values that drove their work and passion for improving their neighbors' lives."

Greg Nickels said the city would provide outreach assistance to the local Jewish community and that security patrols would be deployed to protect synagogues and other Jewish buildings.

Robert Spencer referred to Haq as a "jihadist killer".

A political cartoonists Cox and Forkum created an editorial cartoon lampooning the authorities' labelling of Haq's attack as a hate crime rather than terrorism.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a joint statement with the Ithna-Ashari Muslim Association of the Northwest, the Muslim Association of Puget Sound, the Islamic Educational Center of Seattle, American Muslims of Puget Sound, and the Arab American Community Coalition. The statement said: "The Muslim community of Greater Seattle area watched in horror as news broke of a shooting at the Jewish Federation building ... We categorically condemn this and any similar acts of violence ... We pray for the safety and health of those injured and offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of the victims of this attack. ... We refuse to see the violence in the Middle East spill over to our cities and neighborhoods. We reject and categorically condemn any attacks against the Jewish community and stand in solidarity with the Jewish Federation in this tragedy."

Two days after the shootings, Haq’s parents released a statement expressing their shock and sorrow. The statement said: "We could not have imagined for a moment that our son would do this senseless act. This is utterly contrary to our beliefs and Islamic values."

Haq’s own parents later issued a statement in its entirety: "We are shocked and devastated with this tragic event. Our hearts and condolences go to the family of the deceased lady. Our deepest sympathies go to those who have been injured and we pray for their speedy recovery. We have always believed and practiced in fostering love, peace and harmony with everyone, irrespective of religion, race and ethnicity."

Timeline

• December 2005 — Haq underwent Christian baptism and attended a Bible study group for several months
• March 2006 — Haq was arrested for public exposure at the Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick, Washington
• July 27, 2006 — Haq received two semi-automatic handguns after the mandatory waiting period had expired
• July 28, 2006 — Haq shot six women, one fatally, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle building in Belltown, Seattle, Washington
• July 29, 2006 — Judge Barbara Linde set Haq’s bail at $50 million after finding probable cause to charge him with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder
• August 2, 2006 — Haq was formally charged with nine felonies including aggravated murder, five counts of attempted murder, kidnapping, burglary, and malicious harassment
• August 10, 2006 — Haq indicated he wished to enter a guilty plea on all charges; the judge refused before a competency hearing
• August 16, 2006 — Haq’s attorney, C. Wesley Richards, told the court Haq changed his mind and pleaded not guilty
• August 28, 2006 — Layla Bush remained hospitalized with a bullet indefinitely lodged in her spine
• December 20, 2006 — Maleng announced Haq would not face execution; if convicted, he would be sentenced to life in prison without parole
• April 14, 2008 — Haq’s trial began in the King County Courthouse (Seattle)
• June 4, 2008 — The jury found him not guilty on one count of attempted murder (Carol Goldman) and declared itself hung on remaining counts; the judge declared a mistrial
• December 15, 2009 — Haq was found guilty on all counts, including aggravated first-degree murder, and was sentenced to life without parole plus 120 years

Outcome

The first trial ended in a mistrial after the jury was hung on most counts. On June 4, 2008, the jury found Haq not guilty on one count of attempted murder involving Carol Goldman.

On December 15, 2009, Haq was found guilty on all counts, including aggravated first-degree murder. He received a sentence of life without parole plus 120 years.

Other details

• Haq had a series of minor brushes with the law, especially traffic violations, with no serious criminal record.
• Haq was reported to have been taking medication for bipolar disorder, and his lawyers provided records of a history of treatment for mental health problems.
• King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng said many mentally-ill individuals "can fully be held accountable in the criminal justice system."
• It was described that the judge delayed entering a plea until a competency hearing could be completed.
• Cheryl Stumbo was one of the women shot and critically wounded in the incident.
• At the time of the shooting, witnesses reported Haq announced, "I am a Muslim American, angry at Israel."
• During the incident, Haq talked to 911 operators saying, "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 held a 14-year-old niece hostage and forced her to dial the intercom and request to be buzzed into the building.