There were at least three suspects involved in the mass shooting at a Seattle food festival, and one of them was killed in the violence, along with two other victims, police said.
A 15-year-old was detained in connection with the shooting, which injured at least four others, including a toddler, at the annual festival near Seattle’s iconic Space Needle Sunday evening.
An acquaintance of the 15-year-old involved in the shooting died at the scene, according to the Associated Press, citing court documents, while “at least one other unknown suspect” is still being sought by police.
The teen is being held in juvenile detention for investigation of firearms violations and first-degree assault.
Shots rang out at the annual Bite of Seattle event, a street food and live music event for families held at the Seattle Center, a 74-acre entertainment and cultural complex downtown.
The attack is the latest of at least 271 mass shootings that have been recorded in the U.S. this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
What happened?
The festival was winding down at around 6. p.m. when the suspects started firing at one another, Seattle Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis said. Dozens of officers were providing security at the event and witnessed the shooting.
A large number of police and emergency crews responded and began evacuating the area around the sprawling Seattle Center campus as festival-goers took cover.
Faith Adia Hunter said she and her friends had just bought crepes from a vendor when the shooting started nearby, prompting her group to seek shelter in the nearby Seattle Children’s Museum.
“We were right next to him when it started, so we took off running,” she said. “So we took off running too into the building with the crowd.”
Amid the chaos, many vendors bolted toward the exits, abandoning their stalls. Hours afterward, some gathered around the police tape, wondering when they would be allowed to return to collect their tents, food and cooking equipment.
One of the vendors, Roberto Ramirez, said he heard what sounded like firecrackers before people began yelling “shooter” and running frantically.
“Suddenly everything was empty,” he said. “People were freaked out.”
After the initial panic, new visitors continued to arrive, unaware of what had happened, and were instructed to leave by police, he said.
Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were waiting in line for a photo booth when he was shoved from behind and turned to see a rush of people fleeing.
“People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,” Wakonabo said.
“Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter,” he added, reporting that he later saw multiple victims on the ground.
The victims
Three people, a 19-year-old man, a 44-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, were killed in the gunfire.
The people who were killed and injured have yet to be named. Two of the victims died at the scene. A third victim, a 56-year-old woman, succumbed to her injuries after being transported to a hospital.
One of the deceased was a suspect in the shooting, police said.
At least four others were taken to hospital for treatment. As of Monday morning, three adults had been discharged and the two-year-old boy was in satisfactory condition but still under observation, a spokesperson for Harborview Medical Center told the Associated Press.
A fifth person was treated at the scene for a minor injury.
Harborview said it had gone into “partial lockdown” following guidance from the Seattle Police Department.
The suspects
Police have not yet named the suspects but believe there were at least three, according to court documents.
Authorities only identified the teenager taken into custody as a 15-year-old.
One of the suspects was killed in the shooting, according to court documents.
Davis said officers do not yet have a description of the third suspect who fled, saying: “We’re still trying to figure this out.”
There is believed to be no further threat to the public.
The aftermath
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson called the shooting an “act of horrific violence.”
“Impacted families are living through the worst moment of their lives, and an entire community is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection, and joy ended in gunfire,” she said at a press conference.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson wrote on X: “My prayers are with the families of the victims, and the responders as they work to keep people safe.”
Washington Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in a statement that she was “absolutely horrified” by the violence, calling it “senseless” and likewise expressing her condolences to the families of the victims.
The gun control advocacy group March for Our Lives said: “Our hearts are with everyone who was there tonight, and with a city that didn’t ask for this. We will not accept this as normal.”
Ariana Baio contributed to this report
