SEATTLE – A mass shooting erupted Sunday evening at the popular Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center, leaving two people dead and multiple others wounded, including a 2-year-old child, authorities said.
The gunfire broke out around 6 p.m. near the Armory and fountain area of the busy outdoor event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for local food vendors, live music, and family activities just blocks from the iconic Space Needle.
Seattle Fire Department officials confirmed two victims were pronounced dead at the scene. At least five others were injured. Among those transported to Harborview Medical Center were a 2-year-old boy shot in the arm (listed in stable condition), a 23-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman (both stable), and a 56-year-old woman in serious condition. One additional person with minor injuries declined transport.
Dramatic video captured by a food vendor live-streaming from a Hawaiian Honey Cones booth shows the sudden chaos. As the vendor speaks to the camera, people in the background suddenly begin running and scattering. Festival-goers and other vendors can be seen ducking, looking around in panic, and fleeing the area as the crowd reacts to the gunshots. Cash and items are left scattered on tables and the ground amid the scramble.
Witnesses described hearing multiple rapid shots that initially sounded like firecrackers before the full panic set in. One attendee told local media the scene was “pure chaos,” with people pushing, falling, and strollers overturning as crowds tried to escape.
Seattle Police responded to reports of an active shooter and multiple victims. The area was locked down as officers cleared the grounds. Harborview Medical Center went on temporary lockdown due to the volume of patients. As of early Monday, authorities had not publicly identified a suspect or confirmed whether anyone was in custody, though some radio traffic referenced possible descriptions of individuals of interest.
The annual Bite of Seattle festival, one of the city’s largest free events, was in its final hours of a multi-day run that typically attracts well over 200,000 people. The shooting forced an abrupt end to the gathering and left emergency crews treating victims amid the vendor stalls and pathways.
Investigators continue to piece together the sequence of events. Seattle Police urged the public to avoid the area Sunday night while the scene was processed. No further details on motive or the shooter’s identity have been released.
The attack marks another high-profile incident of gun violence at a crowded public event in a major American city, raising questions about security measures at large outdoor festivals. Officials have not yet indicated whether enhanced security was in place for the event.
