Shootout at Bite of Seattle Kills Three, Wounds Four

A sudden exchange of gunfire tore through the final day of the Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center on July 26, killing three people and wounding four others, including a two-year-old boy. The event, which draws roughly 350,000 visitors across three days, had been winding down when shots rang out near 6 p.m. local time, sending crowds scrambling for cover inside nearby buildings such as the Seattle Children’s Museum and the Space Needle lobby.

Seattle Police Department Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis said officers on site heard the shots at 6:01 p.m. and confronted one gunman, who surrendered. A second suspect fled. Davis stated that investigators believe the two were shooting at each other and recovered two firearms at the scene. One person died at the location, another at the scene, and a third later at Harborview Medical Center. The four surviving victims, three adults and the toddler, were listed in stable condition. Davis added that police have no description of the second suspect and see no ongoing threat to the public.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson called the incident an “unbelievable tragedy” and “horrific act of violence” during a joint briefing. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said the state patrol’s SWAT team was assisting at the department’s request. No motive has been released, and officials have not confirmed whether any victims were connected to the confrontation. Witnesses described hearing rapid shots followed by panic, with vendors abandoning stalls and parents shielding children as people ran.

The investigation continues with homicide and gun-violence detectives assigned. Police urged anyone with information to come forward while the search for the second suspect proceeds.