Recently released 911 audio is offering a clearer picture of the chaos that erupted during the deadly shooting at Seattle’s popular Bite of Seattle festival, as emergency crews rushed to reach several victims reported down at the scene.
“I’m losing blood,” one caller, who told dispatchers they had been shot in the back, said during the urgent call.
The wounded caller said they did not know who fired the shots.
“I don’t know who did it. I took cover. I see the officers down here,” the caller told the dispatcher.
As responders moved toward the area near the water fountain where the caller was believed to be located, the dispatcher worked to keep the injured person focused and calm.
“It’s OK. Just breathe. Breathe with me. I’m going to stay with you,” the dispatcher said.
A short time later, the caller indicated they were with an officer.
Additional emergency radio traffic reveals dispatchers and first responders trying to determine the scale of the shooting as the violent scene unfolded near the Seattle Center Armory.
“Multiple people down at this point,” one dispatcher said when asked whether anyone had been shot.
As reports continued to come in, another dispatcher requested “as many aid units as possible,” saying there were at least two people down “but more than that.”
Emergency crews initially treated the area as an active scene while officials worked to determine whether it was safe for responders to enter.
“Let’s treat that as an active scene for now,” a dispatcher said.
A dispatcher later said there were “six confirmed gunshot wounds” amid the chaotic response.
The calls come as Seattle police have offered few public updates on the investigation.
Fox 13 Seattle reported that interim Police Chief Andre Sayles said earlier this month that investigators had developed new information and expected to make an arrest, but he declined to disclose details.
“I think the biggest thing is, you know, it’s going to cause a little bit of frustration, is the integrity of this investigation,” Sayles said Aug. 7, according to the outlet. “There’s some information that we have. I want to make sure that we keep the integrity of that investigation close to the vest until we can make the appropriate arrest.”
A 15-year-old suspect remains in custody in the shooting.
The Mayor’s Office said in a statement to the outlet that the administration “continues to work closely with the Seattle Police Department to ensure information about critical events reach(es) the public.”
The shooting erupted last month outside the Seattle Center Armory during the Bite of Seattle food festival near the Space Needle. Three people were killed, and four others were wounded, including a 2-year-old boy, authorities previously said.
The dead included a 19-year-old man and a 44-year-old man who were pronounced dead at the scene. A 56-year-old woman later died after she was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
Wilson called the shooting “an act of horrific violence.”
“Impacted families are living through the worst moment of their lives, and an entire community is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection and joy ended in gunfire,” Wilson said at the time.
“No one should have to weigh the risk of being shot before attending an event, gathering with friends, or experiencing their city.”
Wilson said officials believed a 15-year-old had opened fire into the crowd, though details remained under investigation. The teen was booked into juvenile detention on suspicion of gun violations and first-degree assault. No homicide charges had been filed as of the most recent update.
Former Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said investigators believed gunfire was exchanged outside the Armory after a conflict involving small groups believed to be at odds with one another, leaving bystanders caught in the crossfire.
Investigators initially believed two gunmen were involved. But a juvenile court document later indicated the detained teen and an acquaintance who was found dead at the scene may have exchanged gunfire with at least one other, unidentified suspect.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Seattle Police Department and mayor’s office for comment.
