Seattle man charged with threatening to kill Washington governor
Nathaniel David Foster, 34, allegedly told hospital staff he planned to travel to Olympia, surveil the governor's mansion and force his way inside to harm Gov. Bob Ferguson. He is charged with threatening to kill the governor.
A Seattle man is facing charges after authorities say he told hospital staff he planned to travel to the state capital and kill Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson. Nathaniel David Foster, 34, was charged in King County Superior Court with threatening to kill the governor, according to charging documents.
The alleged plot began to unravel July 18, when Foster checked himself into Swedish First Hill hospital while experiencing suicidal and homicidal thoughts. During an evaluation, Foster allegedly told a hospital caseworker he intended to go to Olympia and harm Ferguson. The caseworker alerted police, bringing Seattle officers and Washington State Patrol detectives into the investigation.
What Foster allegedly described went beyond a vague threat. Authorities say he told them he planned to take public transit to Olympia, then lurk near the governor's mansion to observe where guards were positioned and when they changed shifts or took breaks. From there, he allegedly intended to find a weak point in security and force his way inside. Foster allegedly said he was willing to hurt or kill anyone standing between him and the governor.
Prosecutors say Foster believed attacking Ferguson would draw attention to grievances he held over his treatment while incarcerated at a Spokane correctional facility. He allegedly told investigators he would do "what he has to do" to get the result he wanted. Authorities also wrote that Foster said "voices in his head" told him to carry out the alleged attack and that he wanted to kill police officers and politicians.
Court filings list a history of prior convictions, including second-degree robbery in 2008, third-degree assault in 2009 and third-degree malicious mischief in 2023. In 2025, Foster was accused of stabbing a Ralph's Thriftway employee in the face in Olympia after being greeted, according to the probable-cause declaration. That case was later dismissed after Foster was found not competent to stand trial.
The bail filing also lists several other cases dismissed because of competency concerns, including 2025 charges of custodial assault and second-degree assault. Foster failed to appear for an Aug. 17 arraignment, leading a judge to confirm a bench warrant, court minutes show. He was later booked into the King County Jail on a separate third-degree malicious mischief allegation.
Prosecutors have asked a judge to set bail at $50,000 and bar Foster from contacting the governor, arguing he poses a danger to the public. Ferguson's office did not respond to a request for comment.
