SEATTLE – Three people were killed and four others, including a toddler, were wounded after gunfire erupted during the annual Bite of Seattle food festival near the Space Needle on Sunday evening, prompting a large police response and an ongoing search for a second suspect, authorities said.
Seattle police said officers assigned to the festival heard gunshots shortly after 6 p.m. local time and responded within seconds. Investigators believe two individuals exchanged gunfire outside the Seattle Center Armory, striking seven people ranging in age from a toddler to older adults.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third later died at Harborview Medical Center. Police identified the fatalities as a 19-year-old man, a 44-year-old man, and a 56-year-old woman. The four surviving victims were hospitalized in stable condition, including a young child.
Authorities arrested one suspect shortly after the shooting and recovered two firearms. Detectives are continuing to search for at least one additional person believed to have been involved in the exchange of gunfire. Despite the ongoing investigation, Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis said there is no continuing threat to the public.
The Seattle Police Department’s Homicide Unit and Gun Violence Reduction Unit are leading the investigation to determine what led to the shooting. Officials urged anyone with information or video footage from the scene to contact investigators.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson condemned the violence, describing it as another devastating reminder of the city’s struggle with gun crime. The shooting came after several other firearms-related incidents in Seattle in recent days, adding to concerns over public safety.
The Bite of Seattle is one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest food festivals, drawing an estimated 350,000 visitors over three days each summer to Seattle Center, one of the city’s busiest tourist destinations. The festival was nearing its conclusion when the shooting occurred, sending attendees running for cover as police secured the area.
Authorities have not released a motive for the shooting, and investigators have not indicated whether those struck were the intended targets or bystanders. The investigation remains active as police work to identify and locate the second suspect.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
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