Seattle Space Needle Shooting Leaves Three Dead, Several Injured at Popular Food Festival

A festive evening in downtown Seattle turned into a scene of chaos on Sunday after a shooting near the iconic Space Needle left three people dead and at least four others injured, including a toddler.

The gunfire erupted around 6:00 p.m. local time during the annual Bite of Seattle food festival at the Seattle Center, one of the city’s busiest tourist destinations. Authorities said the violence sent festival-goers scrambling for safety as police rushed to the scene.

Seattle Police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis said investigators believe two individuals exchanged gunfire during the incident. Officers arrested one suspect shortly after the shooting, while a search remains underway for a second person believed to have been involved. Police also recovered two firearms at the scene.

Officials confirmed that two victims died at the Seattle Center, while a third later succumbed to injuries in hospital. Despite the deadly attack, Davis assured residents there is “no outstanding threat to the community.”

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said State Patrol SWAT officers were deployed to support the investigation and assist local law enforcement. Offering condolences, he wrote on X that his thoughts were with the victims’ families and the emergency responders working to secure the area.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson condemned the attack, describing it as “an act of horrific violence.” She expressed sympathy for those affected and thanked the police officers who responded swiftly and took one suspect into custody.

Harborview Medical Center confirmed it was treating four victims, including a child, a woman undergoing surgery, a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman. Another gunshot victim later arrived at the University of Washington Medical Center for treatment. Authorities said those still hospitalized, including the toddler, were in stable condition.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as shots rang out across the festival grounds. Many initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks before realizing people were fleeing in terror. “At first, I thought there were fireworks, and then everybody flooded and ran past us,” witness Nick Bate told local television station KIRO. Another eyewitness told AFP, “We started running. I didn’t know. I didn’t look where the person was going. I just heard everything.”

The motive behind the shooting has not yet been disclosed, and the investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue searching for the second suspect.