A Sunday evening shooting near Seattle’s iconic Space Needle left at least two people dead after gunfire erupted during a crowded food festival, prompting terrified families and visitors to flee the area.
The burst of rapid shots was reported around 6 p.m. at Seattle Center, where large crowds had gathered over the weekend for the annual Bite of Seattle food festival.
The Seattle Fire Department confirmed that two victims were killed in the shooting.
Emergency crews also treated five other people at the scene. Four of them were taken to a nearby hospital, including a 2-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man and two adult women.
One of the women remained in critical condition and was undergoing surgery at Harborview Medical Center, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Two people were taken into custody in connection with the Seattle Center shooting, Seattle’s NPR news station reported. Authorities had not released their names.
Livestream footage from the festival captured the frightening moments as the popular event quickly turned into a scene of panic and confusion.
Crowds fled in fear after gunfire broke out at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday night
People are seen running from the convention site, which was hosting a food festival
One man was being led out of the food festival in a stretcher
It started with a man from Hawaiian Honey Cones showing off his product at the food festival and asking more people to subscribe to his channel when one of his employees tells him, ‘Shooting,’ and ducks behind the counter.
‘Shooting, oh s***,’ the man taking the livestream video replied, as people, including families with young children, started running.
What appears to be five gunshots could then be heard in the background as the live streamer encouraged others to take cover.
Meanwhile, people could be seen breaking through a barrier trying to run away.
The video then ends with the live streamer telling his employee to grab the money and get down.
Paul Skinner, 47, also told the Seattle Times how he had just returned from grabbing drinks for his staff at his Filipino food booth when he heard a series of loud pops.
Seattle police rushed to the scene of Seattle Center where multiple people were shot on Sunday night
Authorities shut down the food festival as the investigation into the shooting continued
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Rapid gunfire was heard at the Bite of Seattle food festival at around 6pm
‘I just heard what sounded like what were some pretty loud fireworks at first,’ he recounted.
‘Then the energy changed. Mobs of people started flooding back down. I just told our staff to get down.’
Kayla Carris, 22, said she was sitting outside the Armory when the shooting occurred, and people started rushing to get inside.
‘Everyone was just throwing stuff and running,’ she told the Seattle Times. ‘Like everyone.’
Adya Sengupta was one of those who took shelter inside the Seattle Armory.
She told KING 5 News how Seattle Fudge brought dozens of people into the storefront to shelter inside the event center.
‘Inside the Seattle Armory was crazy, within seconds maybe 60-plus people had flooded the doors inside, all running towards that back corner with Seattle Fudge,’ she said.
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.
The shooting occurred near the city’s iconic Space Needle
Five victims were treated at the scene, including four who were rushed to a local hospital
Bite of Seattle is one of the city’s largest festivals, drawing tens of thousands of people
‘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.
Todd Behrends, 59, also told how he saw people jumping and running over others to get away.
One woman fell in the chaos, he said, and someone stepped on her leg.
When Behrends then ran out the exit, he said he saw a woman on the ground and a man in a stretcher.
Police have now locked down the area as the investigation continues and the FBI responds to the scene.
In the meantime, the Monorail has been shut down for the rest of the night.
The annual festival started in 1982 and draws 350,000 attendees over ‘three days of food, drink, and community celebration,’ according to its website.
