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Seattle Jewish Federation shooter gets life sentence

[additional-authors]
January 15, 2010

The man who shot up the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle building in July 2006 was sentenced to life in prison.

One woman died and five were wounded when Naveed Haq attacked the Jewish agency.

In an address to the court during his sentencing Thursday, Haq apologized for the shooting rampage “from the depth of my being,” according to the Seattle Times.

Speaking before a courtroom filled with survivors of the attack and their families, along with the family of the slain victim, Pamela Waechter, Haq blamed the shootings on his poorly treated mental illness, according to reports.

A jury last month found Haq, 34, of Pasco, Wash., guilty on all eight counts against him.

Following nearly two months of testimony, the jury agreed with the prosecution that Haq knew full well what he was doing when he wounded six women, killing one, at the federation building nearly 3 1/2 years ago.

Haq suffers from a mental disorder, and his defense claimed that he could not understand his actions.

A previous jury had deadlocked on the case, precipitating a second trial.

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