A shooting at a popular food festival near Seattle's Space Needle has left two people dead and five others injured. The incident occurred on Sunday evening at Seattle Center during the annual Bite of Seattle festival, which draws thousands of visitors.
Police responded to the scene and urged the public to avoid the area while emergency crews treated victims. The Seattle Fire Department confirmed two fatalities and five wounded. Harborview Medical Center reported receiving four of the injured, including a toddler, a 23-year-old man, and two adult women. One patient is in critical condition.
Witness Describes Panic
Festival-goer Estan Wakonabo recounted waiting in line at a photo booth with his girlfriend when panic erupted. “People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,” he said. “Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter.” After helping his girlfriend to safety, Wakonabo returned and saw several victims on the ground.
Investigation Underway
The Bite of Seattle festival has been held since 1982 and attracts about 350,000 visitors over three days. Police have not yet released details about a suspect or a possible motive. An investigation is ongoing.
