Shooting at Seattle Food Festival Involves Multiple Suspects
SEATTLE (AP) — At least three suspects were involved in a shooting at a food festival near Seattle’s Space Needle over the weekend, with one suspect among those who died, according to police statements.
A juvenile court document in Seattle revealed the involvement of a 15-year-old suspect, who appeared in court on Monday. Police believe the shooters included the teenager, an acquaintance who died at the scene, and at least one unidentified individual.
Evidence gathered by investigators suggests that a gunfight occurred between the 15-year-old and one of the deceased with an unidentified suspect. The teenager remains in juvenile detention, facing firearms violations and first-degree assault charges, as confirmed by Mayor Katie Wilson during a news conference.
Authorities are actively searching for another suspect, whose identity remains unclear. “We are trying to identify who that person is,” stated Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes.
The violence resulted in three fatalities: two men, aged 19 and 44, and a woman, 56. The incident also left four others injured, including a 2-year-old boy who was reported to be in satisfactory condition. The other victims, two men aged 23 and 27 and a woman, 39, have been discharged from the hospital.
Attendees and vendors returned to the festival site on Monday to recover equipment and belongings left behind during the chaos. Leftover food items, including skewered squid and roasted ducks, were abandoned amid the gunfire. A visible bloodstain remained near the shooting location, and a vigil was planned at the site’s International Fountain.
The gunfire began around 6 p.m. on Sunday during the Bite of Seattle festival, which attracts numerous vendors and performers to Seattle Center, under the Space Needle. The sound of shots led attendees to seek shelter in nearby buildings or flee the park.
A significant police presence was on-site during the event, and officers witnessed one suspect firing a weapon. Emergency crews swiftly evacuated the area and conducted a search in an IMAX theater where they believed a second shooter had taken refuge.
Adam Lombardo, a vendor at the festival, recounted the chaotic scene as attendees rushed to safety. “It’s really sad because you think that three innocent people aren’t getting up with their families,” he remarked, reflecting on the tragic loss of life.
Festival-goer Faith Adia Hunter described the panic as she and her friends sought cover at the Seattle Children’s Museum. “We were about to start eating, then heard someone yell something, then we saw people start to run,” Hunter recounted.
Another vendor, Roberto Ramirez, initially mistook the sounds for firecrackers before realizing the severity of the situation. “Suddenly everything was empty,” he said, describing the frantic evacuation.
Estan Wakonabo, who was nearby during the incident, witnessed the commotion and gunfire. “Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter,” he stated. Wakonabo ensured his girlfriend’s safety before returning to document the scene.
The festival, established in 1982, typically draws approximately 350,000 attendees each year.
