Gunfire erupted in downtown Seattle on Sunday evening during the popular “Bite of Seattle” food festival, leaving 2 people dead, including a 2-year-old child, and 5 others injured.
The shooting took place near the iconic Space Needle, about a block away from the event venue, as festival-goers scattered in panic. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. local time at the Seattle Center.
Witness Estan Wakonabo described the chaotic scene to the media, recounting how people were running for cover, pushing and shoving, with some falling to the ground and strollers being overturned. He heard continuous gunshots and realized a shooting was happening.
After ensuring the safety of his girlfriend, Wakonabo returned to the scene to take photos and saw multiple victims lying on the ground. Another witness near a stage where a band was performing reported hearing at least “dozens of gunshots.”
Authorities confirmed that two individuals died at the scene, with four injured individuals taken to Harborview Medical Center, including a child, a 23-year-old man, and two adult women. The victims suffered gunshot wounds to various parts of their bodies, with one woman in critical condition.
Following the incident, Seattle police warned the public to avoid the area and swiftly deployed a large number of officers and emergency responders to evacuate the crowd. Videos showed personnel from agencies including the FBI assisting at the scene.
As of now, law enforcement has not disclosed information about potential suspects or arrests made, and the motive behind the shooting remains unclear.
Due to the incident, the Seattle Center Monorail suspended operations on Sunday night, with plans to resume service on Monday morning. The “Bite of Seattle” festival, which began in 1982, is a significant annual community celebration in Seattle, attracting around 350,000 attendees over three days each year.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, this incident marks at least the 271st mass shooting in the United States this year, defined as an event where 4 or more people are shot or killed, excluding the shooter, in a single incident.