From Seattle Post Intelligencer

Breaking News: Seattle Police are responding to a report of a shooting at the Jewish Federation offices in the 2000 block of Third Avenue in downtown Seattle. Two people were believed to be shot and police reported a possible hostage situation.

The import of this is clear: All Jewish centers and synagogues need to be on high, high alert asap.

UPDATE: Yoni reports the shooter is a Pakistani national.

UPDATE:

"People got shot, some of our co-workers," Patti Simon said in a phone interview, her voice shaking. "I just got back from Israel and made it out of there a half hour before the rockets started."

Simon, who sells advertising for the federation's newspaper, was working on the first floor when she heard screaming, shots and what sounded like furniture crashing on the floor above.

"We heard this horrible screaming on the floor above us and shots," the 52-year-old said. "We didn't know what was happening."

Simon called up to her co-workers on the second floor, but got no answer, so she called the police and fled the building.

One person shot in the abdomen and another shot in the arm were being taken to Harborview Medical Center, KING-TV reported.

Police blocked off several city blocks to investigate.

Simon said the federation building has security.

"Somebody must have lied their way in," she said.