Victims relive terror at Haq's retrial
SEATTLE -- In the second day of the retrial of Naveed Haq, jurors were hit with disturbing testimony from the survivors.
Witnesses described the harrowing scene of July 28, 2006 as Haq, the suspected gunman in the deadly shooting rampage inside the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, hunted them down room by room, aiming to kill.
"He shot at me again, and it went back behind my left knee and knocked me down," said Christina Rexroad.
Rexroad, who was shot several times, said the bullet to her gut nearly killed her.
"It went in my abdomen, came out my groin area and it severed my femural artery," she said.
Witnesses described their terror as they watched Haq hunt down Pam Waechter down the hall as she tried to run away.
Waechter, 58, died from her gunshot wounds. She was the director of the center's fundraising campaign.
A temporary worker who'd been caught in the cross fire described how she'd huddled with the wounded.
"She (Another woman) said she had been shot and she was pregnant. And there was somebody in the room with her who had been shot," said Elana Feldman.
Haq claims he was insane when he opened fire inside the Belltown office complex three years ago. Prosecutors say the incident was premeditated and meant to be a political statement.
Jurors heard the tape of the 911 call during which Haq himself addresses the operator.
"This is a hostage situation. I have a hostage," said the caller. "this is Naveed Haq."
The dispatcher is then heard trying to rationalize with Haq, and asking him what he wants.
"This is a hostage situation. I want these Jews out," Haq is heard responding.
Haq has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
But prosecutors on Wednesday said Haq wasn't insane - just angry - when he stormed the center, killing one woman and wounding five others as he railed against Israel and demanded to go on CNN.
Haq's first trial ended last year with jurors deadlocked on whether he was legally insane during the shooting spree. As a result, prosecutors streamlined their charges against him, but they're still pushing for a first-degree murder conviction.
For KOMO's previous coverage of the Seattle Jewish Federation shooting and the trial of Naveed Haq, click here.
Witnesses described the harrowing scene of July 28, 2006 as Haq, the suspected gunman in the deadly shooting rampage inside the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, hunted them down room by room, aiming to kill.
"He shot at me again, and it went back behind my left knee and knocked me down," said Christina Rexroad.
Rexroad, who was shot several times, said the bullet to her gut nearly killed her.
"It went in my abdomen, came out my groin area and it severed my femural artery," she said.
Witnesses described their terror as they watched Haq hunt down Pam Waechter down the hall as she tried to run away.
Waechter, 58, died from her gunshot wounds. She was the director of the center's fundraising campaign.
A temporary worker who'd been caught in the cross fire described how she'd huddled with the wounded.
"She (Another woman) said she had been shot and she was pregnant. And there was somebody in the room with her who had been shot," said Elana Feldman.
Haq claims he was insane when he opened fire inside the Belltown office complex three years ago. Prosecutors say the incident was premeditated and meant to be a political statement.
Jurors heard the tape of the 911 call during which Haq himself addresses the operator.
"This is a hostage situation. I have a hostage," said the caller. "this is Naveed Haq."
The dispatcher is then heard trying to rationalize with Haq, and asking him what he wants.
"This is a hostage situation. I want these Jews out," Haq is heard responding.
Haq has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
But prosecutors on Wednesday said Haq wasn't insane - just angry - when he stormed the center, killing one woman and wounding five others as he railed against Israel and demanded to go on CNN.
Haq's first trial ended last year with jurors deadlocked on whether he was legally insane during the shooting spree. As a result, prosecutors streamlined their charges against him, but they're still pushing for a first-degree murder conviction.
For KOMO's previous coverage of the Seattle Jewish Federation shooting and the trial of Naveed Haq, click here.