Synagogues and Jewish community centres in Canada are increasing security a day after a suspected hate killing at a Jewish centre in Seattle.

On Friday, a man armed with a large-calibre semi-automatic handgun walked into Seattle's Jewish Federation and opened fire -- killing one woman and wounding five others before he surrendered to a SWAT team minutes later.

Staff member Marla Meislin-Dietrich said workers overheard the shooter saying "'I am a Muslim-American, angry at Israel,' before opening fire.

"He was randomly shooting at everyone,'' she said.

Mitchell Gropper, vice president of the Jewish Association of Greater Vancouver, told CTV Vancouver that Jewish communities and institutions in Vancouver have taken steps to increase security at their institutions following the shooting.

But a spokesman for the Canadian Jewish Congress told CTV Montreal that while Canadian Jewish communities are concerned, they have faith in the tolerant reputation of Canadians.

Gropper agreed.

"We don't expect that an event like this will occur in Canada," he said. "But, on the other hand, in these circumstances one has to take care of these institutions that are open to all facets of our community."

The Jewish community in Canada is in shock over the shooting, he said.

"We were shocked that someone thought they had to resort to violence to express their views," Gropper said. "I, and the Jewish community, and we as Jews and Canadians, deplore the use of violence either to express your political or personal views."

But "it appears this is an isolated incident," he said. "We certainly hope so."

In Seattle, Naveed Afzal Haq was arrested late Friday and charged with homicide and five charges of attempted homicide.

Police said Haq, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen, previously lived in Pasco in southeast Washington state.

He had a lewd conduct charge pending against him in Benton County, near Pasco, where he was accused of exposing himself in a public place, his attorney Larry Stephenson told The Seattle Times. Stephenson said he did not believe Haq had a job.

Meislin-Dietrich, who described Haq as a Muslim angry at Israel, said he forced his way through a security door after an employee punched in her code before he opened fire.

Employee Patti Simon said she was working on the first floor when she heard screams and gun shots coming from the floor above.

Police on Friday wouldn't confirm the witnesses' accounts of what happened.

When asked at a news conference whether the suspect was Muslim, Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said: "you could infer that that was his background."

The shooting ended shortly after it erupted about 4 p.m. PT.

News footage showed employees fleeing the building as police officers charged to the scene and blocked off several downtown blocks.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Kerlikowske said officers were moving to protect synagogues and mosques around the city -- but added there was no evidence of a broad threat.

"This was a purposeful, hateful act, as far as we know by an individual acting on his own," Nickels said.

Kerlikowske said officers were protecting mosques "because there's always the concern of retaliatory crime."

The police chief said he believed the shooting was a hate crime, based on what Haq had said to a 911 operator and supervisor. But he declined to provide further details.

Attack condemned

In a written statement, the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Friday condemned the attack.

"The American Muslim and Jewish communities must do whatever is within their power to prevent the current conflict in the Middle East from being transplanted to this country," the Washington-based civil rights and advocacy group said.

North of the border in Vancouver, the local Jewish community expressed outrage about the incident, but expressed hope that Canadians' reaction to the tragedy would be peaceful.

"Many people have friends and family in Seattle and we feel truly heartbroken for the loss of the individuals and the loss of their family," Mira Oreck of the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) told CTV Vancouver.

"Synagogues will be gathering and of course continue on as usual with a very heightened sense of security. We have been in very close contact with security officials and police and have the utmost confidence in them that they will do their absolute best to maintain the safety and security of our community."

CJC National President Ed Morgan said the congress is "heartsick" over what happened Friday.

"We stand in solidarity with our friends and colleagues in Seattle, together with their families and loved ones, at this difficult time.

"As fellow Jews, and as citizens of a democratic nation, we abhor and condemn this type of hate-filled violence," he said.

Haq is being held in Seattle's King County Jail.

With a report from CTV's Jed Kahane