2 People Killed, Several Injured In Shooting at Seattle Food Festival Near Space Needle

New Delhi: Two people were killed and multiple people were injured in a shooting on Sunday night at an events complex close to the Space Needle in Seattle, prompting a large police response and an active investigation in the area.

Confirming the incident in a post on X, the Seattle Police Department stated, "Police are investigating a shooting. Multiple shooting victims. Shots fired at the Seattle Center. More information to come. Please avoid the area."

Noting that the shooting took place near the Seattle Center during its weekend hosting of the annual Bite of Seattle food festival, authorities have yet to disclose the victim count, their conditions, or any details regarding a potential suspect.

Confirming that Harborview Medical Center was treating victims injured in the shooting and that a UW Medicine spokesperson indicated further updates would be provided as available, authorities also noted that the Seattle Monorail suspended operations for the rest of Sunday with services slated to resume Monday morning.

What witnesses said

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as gunfire rang out near the festival grounds. 

Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were at the festival waiting in line for a photo booth when he was shoved from behind and he turned to see a rush of people fleeing, as per Associated Press.

“People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,” Wakonabo said, adding that was when he heard gunshots.

“Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter,” he said.

After he escorted his girlfriend to safety, he returned to the scene to make photos and saw multiple victims on the ground, Wakonabo said.

The annual festival started in 1982 and draws 350,000 attendees over “three days of food, drink, and community celebration,” according to its website.

Videos circulating on social media displayed a heavy emergency and police presence alongside crowds fleeing the area, with some posts claiming a suspect was detained though authorities have not yet confirmed any arrests or released further details as the investigation remains ongoing and police urge the public to steer clear of the Seattle Center while officers process the scene.