Three individuals, Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, Ashley Whitehead, 56, and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19, have been identified as the victims of a fatal shooting that occurred at the Bite of Seattle food festival on July 26, 2026. The King County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the identities.
Mayor Katie Wilson stated on Monday that the 19-year-old victim was involved in the shooting incident. Whitehead, a mother of two daughters, was reportedly struck in the pelvis and died during surgery at Harborview Medical Center. According to a GoFundMe established for her family, Whitehead was with her daughter, Zoie, and future son-in-law, Ben, at the festival when the violence erupted. She was able to share final words with her eldest daughter before passing away.
Whitehead had recently relocated from Alabama to the west coast to be near her daughter Zoie. Her other daughter, Celeste, lives in Virginia. The GoFundMe notes that this is the second major tragedy for Zoie, who lost her partner of seven years to heart failure in 2018. The funds raised are intended to support the family and cover bereavement services.
Whitehead is remembered by loved ones as someone who cherished life, art, and family.
