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A Seattle man accused of threatening Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson allegedly laid out a deadly plan during a hospital stay — one authorities say put the governor and those around him in danger.
The alleged scheme began to unravel after Nathaniel David Foster, 34, checked himself into Swedish First Hill on July 18, while experiencing suicidal and homicidal thoughts, charging documents reviewed by Fox News Digital state.
During an evaluation, Foster allegedly told a hospital caseworker he planned to head to Olympia and harm Ferguson. The caseworker alerted police, bringing Seattle officers and Washington State Patrol detectives into the case.
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Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson addresses reporters during a news conference in Longview. (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images, File)
What Foster allegedly told them went far beyond a vague threat.
Foster allegedly described taking public transit to Olympia, then lurking near the governor’s mansion to watch where guards were positioned and when they changed shifts or took breaks. From there, authorities say, he planned to find a weak point in security and force his way inside.
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Foster allegedly said he was willing to hurt or kill anyone standing between him and the governor, the documents state.
Prosecutors say Foster believed attacking Ferguson would draw attention to grievances he had 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.
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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson addresses students in a classroom. A Seattle man is charged with allegedly threatening the governor, according to court records. (Governor Bob Ferguson Facebook)
Foster is charged in King County Superior Court with threatening to kill Ferguson. Prosecutors have asked a judge to set his bail at $50,000 and bar him from contacting the governor, arguing he poses a danger to the public.
The case also comes with a troubling history.
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Court filings list Foster’s prior convictions for second-degree robbery in 2008, third-degree assault in 2009 and third-degree malicious mischief in 2023.
Then, in 2025, he was accused of stabbing a Ralph’s Thriftway employee in the face in Olympia after being greeted, according to the probable-cause declaration.
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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson speaks at an event. Charging documents allege a Seattle man threatened the governor and people around him. (Governor Bob Ferguson Facebook)
Authorities 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.
That case was later dismissed after Foster was found not competent to stand trial, according to court records cited in the documents.
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.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ferguson’s office for comment.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
