Three people were killed and seven others were wounded Sunday evening when gunfire broke out during a festival near Seattle’s Space Needle, authorities said.
SEATTLE — A shooting at a crowded festival near the Space Needle left three people dead and at least seven injured, including a toddler, Seattle first responders said Sunday night.
The mayor’s office said police had taken a suspect into custody. Seattle Police Department Deputy Chief Andre Sayles described the person as a “young person” and said investigators believe the violence may have stemmed from two people shooting at each other.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Seattle Fire Department. A third later died at a local hospital.
The shooting was reported around 6 p.m. Pacific time at Seattle Center, where thousands had gathered over the weekend for the Bite of Seattle food festival. The popular destination, home to the Space Needle and other attractions, draws an estimated 100,000 visitors a day.
Police believe two people exchanged gunfire and said officers recovered two firearms. One suspect remained at large, though Sayles cautioned that “there may be more.”
“We’re still trying to figure this out,” he said.
Sayles also said there were no security cameras in the immediate area where the shooting occurred.
One of the hospitals where injured people were taken was placed on a modified lockdown.
Police asked the public to avoid the Seattle Center area as the investigation unfolded.
Multiple local, state and federal agencies responded following the shooting, including the FBI, ATF, Seattle Police’s Homicide unit, the Gun Violence Reduction unit, CSI unit, King County law enforcement and Washington State Patrol. The state SWAT team was also en route, at the request of the Seattle Police Department, according to Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office.
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King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office officials said the suspected gunman who was taken into police custody is expected to make their first appearance in court Monday morning.
Witnesses reported hearing sounds like firecrackers and people fleeing the area, including diving for cover.
“I heard, ‘bang, bang, bang,’ and I heard yelling—straight yelling,” a witness said in an interview with Seattle TV station KING 5.
Adya Sengupta, an event attendee, said she took shelter in the Seattle Armory. She said Seattle Fudge brought dozens of people into the storefront to shelter inside the event center, Sengupta said.
“Inside the Seattle Armory was crazy,” Sengupta recalled. “Within seconds, maybe 60-plus people had flooded the doors inside, all running towards that back corner with Seattle Fudge.”
The Seattle Monorail was shut down for the rest of Sunday but was expected to reopen Monday morning, officials said. The Pacific Science Center said it will be closed Monday.
Three public events and exhibitions were taking place at Seattle Center this weekend, including Bite of Seattle, a free event celebrating food and drink of Seattle, a cultural art exhibition related to the cultural event series of Festal, and a sculpture walk.
Bite of Seattle is one of the largest events Seattle Center hosts every year, with up to 350,000 attendees.
This story is developing and will be updated.
