A 15-year-old boy accused in a deadly shooting at Seattle's Bite of Seattle food festival has claimed self-defense, alleging he fired his weapon after two other individuals began shooting at him and a friend. The incident, which occurred on July 26 near the Seattle Center Armory, resulted in three fatalities and four injuries, including a 2-year-old boy.
Police have characterized the event as a gang-related shootout that ensnared innocent bystanders. Among the deceased were 19-year-old Niko-Semo, a 44-year-old man, and a 56-year-old woman. More than a month after the shooting, the 15-year-old remains the only individual charged in connection with the event. The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has stated that no other cases related to the shooting have been referred by police investigators.
Interim Seattle Police Chief Andre Sayles indicated that investigators have identified two potential persons of interest after reviewing approximately 450 hours of video footage. Sayles cautioned that the police have not yet determined if these individuals discharged firearms but stated that detectives are nearing the stage of conducting interviews and potentially making arrests if evidence supports such actions.
The teenage suspect, whose name has not been released due to his status as a minor, maintains that he fired his weapon only after shots were directed at him. His public defender, Hong Tran, has stated that multiple eyewitnesses corroborated this account, reporting that the teen retrieved a firearm from a pouch and discharged it in the direction from which shots were being fired.
According to court documents, the teen told officers at the scene that he was being shot at and returned fire in self-defense. However, prosecutors argue that his actions were reckless, accusing him of indiscriminately firing into a crowd of adults and children.
Prosecutors have charged the teen with first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm by a person under 18. Court records also indicate a firearm sentencing enhancement was filed with the assault charge. Notably, prosecutors state that the teen's shots were not responsible for any of the three deaths.
The firearm allegedly used by the teen was a Polymer80 "ghost gun" equipped with an extended magazine. This privately assembled weapon lacked a serial number and reportedly bore a custom plate reading "1 SHOT 1 KILL." Investigators recovered at least four firearms from the scene, including weapons potentially linked to the teen and Niko-Semo, and are conducting ballistics tests to determine further involvement.
A judge denied the teen's request to be released to electronic monitoring at his father's home, ordering him to remain in custody. He is scheduled for a status hearing in juvenile court in October, with prosecutors intending to seek a transfer of the case to adult court in November.
The shooting also brought scrutiny to the city's communication practices, specifically its delayed public updates and decision not to utilize its emergency alert system. Following the incident, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes reportedly agreed to step down at the request of Mayor Katie Wilson, though Barnes has since defended his adherence to department protocols.