Seattle police announced Monday that at least three suspects were involved in a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival over the weekend, and one of the deceased victims is believed to be a shooter. Investigators are exploring the possibility that the violence was gang-related, with two groups firing at each other.
The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Sunday during the final hours of the annual festival at Seattle Center, near the Space Needle. Three people were killed, including a 19-year-old believed to be one of the shooters, and four others were injured, including a toddler. The injured victims, who ranged in age from two to 39, have since been released from the hospital.
Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief of Investigations Nicole Powell stated that while initial reports suggested two shooters, evidence now points to at least three individuals: the 15-year-old arrested in connection with the incident, the 19-year-old who died at the scene, and at least one other unknown suspect.
The 15-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released, waived his initial court appearance Monday. He is being held in juvenile detention on suspicion of firearms violations and first-degree assault. The King County prosecutor's office is expected to receive the case for a charging decision.
The victims who died have been identified by the King County Medical Examiner's Office as Carlos Israel Villalba, 44; Ashley Whitehead, 56; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. Villalba, a father of three, is remembered for his kindness, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched to support his family. Whitehead had recently moved to Washington and was at the festival with her daughter when she was shot and later died during surgery. Semo was identified as the 19-year-old who died at the scene.
Vendors returned to the festival grounds Monday morning to assess and collect their equipment, with visible reminders of the chaos, including a bloodstain near the shooting site. Police officers, who were present at the event, responded immediately. Attendees described the scene as panicked, with many fleeing the area.
Moises Perez, who lives adjacent to Seattle Center, recounted hearing gunshots and ushering more than a dozen people, including women and children, into his apartment for safety. He stated that his own experience losing a brother to gun violence motivated him to help those seeking refuge.
Mayor Katie Wilson and Police Chief Shon Barnes addressed the public and acknowledged that initial statements about the number of suspects and arrests were confusing. They defended their handling of the situation, emphasizing the difficulty of disseminating accurate information during a chaotic event. Barnes was out of town attending a conference when the shooting occurred.