Two people have been killed and five others injured following a shooting incident on Sunday evening at the Bite of Seattle food festival. The gunfire erupted at the Seattle Center, an events complex situated close to the city's iconic Space Needle, according to a spokesperson for the Seattle fire department.
The annual Bite of Seattle festival, which typically draws around 350,000 attendees over three days, was in full swing over the weekend when the violence unfolded. Following the shooting, police swiftly advised the public to steer clear of the affected area as emergency services responded to the scene.
Harborview Medical Center confirmed it had admitted four victims from the incident. Susan Gregg, a representative for the medical centre, stated that those admitted included a toddler, a 23-year-old man, and two adult women. One of the patients is currently in a critical condition, she added.
Eyewitness Estan Wakonabo described the chaotic scenes, recounting how he and his girlfriend were queuing for a photo booth when they were suddenly caught in a stampede of fleeing people. "People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling," Wakonabo said, adding that he then heard the sound of gunshots. "Once I heard a 'pop, pop, pop,' that's when I knew it was a shooter." After ensuring his girlfriend's safety, he returned to the scene to find multiple victims on the ground.
The Bite of Seattle festival, which began in 1982, is a popular fixture in the city's calendar, known for showcasing local cuisine and entertainment. The incident has cast a shadow over what is usually a family-friendly event, prompting a large-scale police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.