A shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday night left three people dead and four injured, with authorities investigating the incident as a targeted shootout. The gunfire erupted at the Seattle Center as the annual festival was underway, sending panicked crowds, including families with young children, fleeing the scene.
Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis confirmed that multiple individuals were firing at each other during the incident. Detectives from homicide and gun violence reduction units responded to the scene. Two weapons were recovered from the site.
Sources indicated that the shooting was targeted and potentially gang-related, according to local journalist Jonathan Choe. Police have detained one young person in connection with the shooting, and another suspect is believed to have fled the scene. Authorities stated there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Two victims died at the scene, while five injured individuals received treatment. Of the five injured, a two-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man, and two adult women were transported to a hospital, where one of them later died from their injuries. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
A food vendor captured the initial moments of the chaos in a livestream, where shouting could be heard about a shooting. The video showed festivalgoers running as gunshots echoed in the background.
Estan Wakonabo, who was attending the festival with his girlfriend, described being pushed from behind and then seeing a rush of people fleeing. He recounted hearing multiple gunshots and seeing baby strollers fall as people sought cover.
After ensuring his girlfriend was safe, Wakonabo returned to the scene and observed multiple victims on the ground. The Bite of Seattle, an annual event established in 1982, typically draws around 350,000 attendees over three days.
Mayor Katie Wilson issued a statement calling the event an "act of horrific violence" and emphasized that no one should fear attending public gatherings. She pledged transparency as the city works to understand the circumstances surrounding the shooting and offered support to the grieving families and injured.
