Murder charges filed in Jewish center shooting

? Prosecutors filed charges including murder and hate crime violations against the man accused in last week’s shooting rampage at the Jewish Federation office.

Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, faces nine felony counts. Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty.

“Make no mistake, this was a hate crime,” King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng said Wednesday. “The attack on these women was an attack on the Jewish community, not only in Seattle but throughout our nation and the world.”

The gunman broke into the charity’s building on Friday, wounding five women and killing 58-year-old Pamela Waechter. According to court documents, Haq talked to 911 operators from the office, identified himself by name and said: “This is a hostage situation and I want these Jews to get out.”

He later added: “These are Jews and I’m tired of getting pushed around and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East.”