Food vendor’s livestream captures start of Seattle shooting
(CNN) — Three people were killed and several others wounded, including a toddler, after two people apparently started shooting at each other at a popular Seattle food festival near the city’s iconic Space Needle, authorities said.
The deadly Sunday-evening shooting at the Bite of Seattle, a free event that draws hundreds of thousands of guests each year, sent attendees running for their lives. A large group was seen knocking down a fence to escape after a volley of gunfire, the latest gruesome entry in the ever-expanding log of Americans victimized by gun violence while doing everyday activities.
Authorities responded to reports of a shooting just after 6 p.m. at the Seattle Center.
“There were about six or seven, multiple gunshots,” Justice Beitzel, who was eating with friends as a concert played nearby, told CNN’s Ben Hunte. “All of a sudden, I just saw people running towards us.”
Two people were declared dead at the scene. Another victim died after being taken to a local hospital, Seattle Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis said late Sunday.
In emergency dispatch audio obtained by CNN, one person was heard requesting a “small child tourniquet” for a victim at the scene.
A 2-year-old boy was taken to Harborview Medical Center, the fire department said Sunday. By Monday morning, the toddler remained at the hospital in “satisfactory condition,” according to Susan Gregg, the hospital’s media relations director.
A few other victims were seen at local hospitals, including a 23-year-old man and 39-year-old woman who have since been discharged from Harborview, and a 27-year-old man who was released from nearby UW Medical Center – Montlake, Gregg added.
One suspect, described only as a “young person,” has been taken into custody. Authorities are still searching for a second person believed to be involved, according to Davis.
Earlier, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said two people were in custody, but later updated her statement.
Two people were believed to be shooting at each other, Davis said. Two weapons were recovered. The investigation is ongoing and “there is no outstanding threat to the community,” Davis said.
What prompted the shooting isn’t known. Authorities urged people who witnessed the shooting to come forward with any information that could be helpful for the investigation.
The shooting is one of at least 271 mass shootings in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more victims are shot.
The Seattle Center describes itself as a civic, arts and family grounds space that attracts more than 12 million visitors each year for events across its 74-acre campus, which includes the Space Needle and the city’s largest arena. The Bite of Seattle Festival features hundreds of local vendors and live music performances, drawing 350,000 guests over three days, its website says.
Videos shared on social media showed crowds of people walking through aisles of vendors outside before gunshots prompted people to flee.
One vendor had a livestream rolling when the gunfire started. The video, which was streamed by food vendor Hawaiian Honey Cones, showed one man talking to the camera as at least four gunshots rang out in the background.
People are then seen ducking and running from the scene. A large group of attendees can be seen knocking down a fence to get away from the area.
Two witnesses told CNN affiliate KOMO they heard “seven to eight shots,” and people were running “everywhere.” One man said he was near a stage where a band was playing when he heard “at least two dozen shots,” he told KOMO.
Another man said some people didn’t react right away, thinking, “Oh it must be fireworks or something.” But after more shots were heard, he saw people “storming through the area” trying to get out.
Some people appeared to take shelter in the gift shop of the Space Needle at the Seattle Center, video shared with CNN showed.
Police, emergency responders and officers from several agencies, including the FBI, were at the scene afterward, video showed.
A Washington state SWAT team was also on its way to assist at the request of Seattle police, Gov. Bob Ferguson said.
CNN has reached out to Seattle police and city officials, as well as the Seattle Center, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The mayor called the shooting “an act of horrific violence” and said the community “is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection, and joy ended in gunfire.”
“In the days ahead, we will establish what happened and be transparent with the public about what we have learned,” Wilson wrote. “Tonight, our attention belongs to the people whose lives were taken, those fighting to recover, and the families beside them.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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