Gunfire Erupts at Seattle Food Festival: Two Dead, Five Wounded
Two people were killed and five others were wounded in a shooting on Sunday evening at a food festival near the Space Needle in Seattle, according to the city's fire department.
The incident occurred around 6 p.m. at the Seattle Centre during the Bite of Seattle festival. Police are investigating and have asked the public to avoid the area northwest of downtown.
Harborview Medical Centre spokesperson Susan Gregg said the hospital admitted four victims: a toddler, a 23-year-old man, and two adult women. One patient was in critical condition.
Witness Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were waiting in line for a photo booth when a crowd suddenly began fleeing. He heard gunshots and saw people pushing, falling, and baby strollers tipping over. After escorting his girlfriend to safety, he returned to find multiple victims on the ground.
The annual Bite of Seattle festival, which began in 1982, typically draws 350,000 attendees over three days of food and community events. Large numbers of police and emergency crews responded and evacuated the area.
