by Katherine R. Hinck*, ELCA News Service
Pamela Waechter, a former Lutheran and major contributor to the
Jewish community, was killed July 28 at the Jewish Federation
building, Seattle. Waechter was working at the Jewish Federation
building that afternoon when a man entered the building with a
gun. He shot six women, killing Waechter and wounding five
others. Waechter, 58, was the annual-campaign director for the
federation.
Born in Minneapolis, Waechter was raised a Lutheran and converted
to Judaism after marrying Bill Waechter. She and her husband
moved to Seattle in 1979. Waechter is survived by her brother
Chuck Hall, a daughter, Nicole, and a son, Mark.
Police arrested suspect Naveed Afzal Haq, 30, about 12 minutes
after the shooting began. The Seattle police are treating the
shooting as a hate crime.
*Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer she is an
intern with the ELCA News Service. Information was provided by
The Seattle Times.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
