Three people are dead and five others injured – including a two-year-old boy – after a shooting erupted at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival near the city’s iconic Space Needle on Sunday evening. Police say two suspects were shooting at each other. One has been taken into custody, but the other remains at large, though officials insist there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Shots rang out at around 6pm local time (01:00 GMT) as thousands gathered for the festival, which has run since 1982 and draws roughly 350,000 visitors over three days. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, and a third later died in hospital. The injured include a toddler, a 23-year-old man, and two adult women, according to Harborview Medical Center, which treated four of the victims; one patient is in a critical condition. A fifth injured person chose not to go to hospital.
“Three dead, five injured including toddler at Seattle food festival; one suspect in custody, one at large.”
Witnesses described pandemonium. Faith Adia Hunter told the Associated Press that one of the shooters was near her and her friends when the first shots were fired, sending them fleeing into the Seattle Children's Museum. “We were right next to him when it started so we took off running,” she said. Festivalgoer Estan Wakonabo, who was waiting in line at a photo booth with his girlfriend, said panic spread instantly. “People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,” he recalled. “Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter.” After helping his girlfriend get to safety, Wakonabo said he returned and saw several victims on the ground.
Videos shared online showed people taking shelter inside the Space Needle, crouching behind pillars and store shelves. Seattle mayor Katie Wilson condemned the attack as “an act of horrific violence” and thanked police for taking a suspect into custody – though she earlier had incorrectly stated two suspects had been detained. Washington governor Bob Ferguson said his prayers were with the families of the victims and the responders. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Seattle, called it “senseless violence” and said she was coordinating with local and state officials for updates.
Police have not released details about the suspects or a possible motive, and the investigation continues. The festival, once a celebration of the city’s culinary scene, ended in screams and sirens. “Pure chaos,” one attendee told local media.
