SEATTLE — A joyful summer evening at one of the city’s most iconic landmarks turned deadly Sunday when gunfire erupted during the Bite of Seattle food festival, killing three people and wounding five others, including a 2-year-old child. The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. near the Armory at Seattle Center, just steps from the Space Needle, as thousands of people gathered for the final day of the popular free event. Witnesses described a sudden burst of rapid gunfire that sent crowds fleeing in panic.
People screamed, pushed through temporary fencing, and sought cover inside nearby buildings as the chaos unfolded. Seattle Fire Department officials confirmed that two victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Among the five injured was a 2-year-old boy who suffered a gunshot wound and was listed in stable condition. Other victims transported to Harborview Medical Center included a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, both in stable condition, and a 56-year-old woman who was in critical condition and undergoing surgery.
A fifth person with minor injuries declined hospital transport. Harborview staff reported that the four patients treated at the trauma center all suffered gunshot wounds to the arm, leg, lower leg, or abdomen. Seattle Police Department officers quickly secured the area and urged the public to avoid Seattle Center. Early reports indicated that at least two suspects may have been taken into custody, though details about the shooters and a possible motive remained unclear late Sunday.
Investigators continued working through the night as detectives processed the large outdoor crime scene. Festival-goers who had been waiting in lines for food and photo booths described pure terror. One witness said he heard “pop, pop, pop” and immediately knew it was a shooter as people fell and strollers toppled in the rush to escape. The Bite of Seattle, a decades-old annual tradition drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors, was abruptly shut down.
The Seattle Center Monorail also suspended service for the remainder of the evening. As of early Monday morning, police had released no names of the victims or suspects and offered no further information on the circumstances leading to the violence. The investigation remains active.
Updated - One suspect (described in at least one report as a “young person”) was taken into custody relatively quickly. A second suspect fled and remains at large; police have said there is no ongoing threat to the public and are continuing the search with FBI assistance. Two firearms were recovered at the scene. Motive is under investigation, and a reward (up to $5,000 from one foundation) has been offered for information leading to the identification/arrest of any outstanding suspect(s). Witnesses described chaos, with people fleeing and some taking cover inside the Space Needle lobby. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson called it an act of horrific violence, and the investigation remains active.
