At least 3 killed, 4 wounded in shooting at Seattle Center food festival that sent attendees running for their lives: ‘Pure chaos’
At least three people were killed and four were wounded in a mass shooting at a bustling Seattle food festival on Sunday evening — sending massive crowds running from a hail of bullets, according to local authorities and witnesses.
Several shots rang out at the Seattle Center, which was hosting the popular Bite of Seattle food festival, around 6 p.m. local time and a suspect was later taken into custody, according to cops and the Seattle Times.
Two men, 19 and 44, were killed while a 56-year-old woman died after being rushed to Harborview Medical Center with serious injuries.
The shooting took place at Seattle Center, where thousands were attending the Bite of Seattle food festival.AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
Fours others – a 2-year-old boy, a man, 23, two women, 39 and 40 — were hospitalized and are said to be stable, according to officials.
The injured toddler appeared to be conscious but wasn’t crying while being treated by paramedics, according to witness Michael Girardi.
“The mother [was] in anguish,” he told the Seattle Times.
Cops suspect two people were shooting at each other. One suspect was taken into custody, Mayor Katie Wilson announced about three hours after the gunfire broke out.
That man has since been taken to the Seattle Police Headquarters for questioning.
Photos have since emerged showing one person being led away by Seattle cops. It’s unclear if this person is being treated as a suspect.
The other suspect is currently at large, Tyrone Davis, the Seattle police assistant chief, told reporters at a late night news conference.
Witnesses spoke of the chaos that unfolded as gunshots rang out.
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One person was led away from the scene by Seattle cops.Justin Reinhard via REUTERS
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Attendee Estan Wakonabo, 25, said that crowds of people began trampling over each other while fleeing the gunfire at the packed event.AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
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Thousands were in attendance when shots rang out.AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
Food festival attendee Estan Wakonabo, 25 told the Seattle Times that crowds of people began trampling over each other while fleeing the gunfire.
“It was just pure chaos,” he said.
“People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,” he told the Associated Press.
People seen hiding after a shooting broke out at a Seattle food festival on Sunday.@PhanPhan1000 via Storyful
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Police respond to a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival on July 26, 2026.AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
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Police urged residents to avoid the area surrounding the Seattle Center, located near the Space Needle, while investigation efforts remain ongoing.KOMO News
“Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter.
After returning to the scene to try to take photos, he said he saw several gunshot victims on the ground and a body covered with a yellow sheet.
Roberto Ramirez, a vendor at the event, said he heard what sounded like firecrackers before people began yelling “shooter” and frantically running.
“Suddenly everything was empty,” he said. “People were freaked out.”
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Police attend to a person after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Seattle, Wash.AP via AP
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Shots were heard ringing out during a livestream from Hawaiian Honey Cones.Hawaiian Honey Cones/YouTube
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Officers patrol Seattle Center after the shooting.Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times via AP
A live YouTube video filmed by a food vendor at the event, Hawaiian Honey Cones, captured the moment loud pops of bullets rang out.
“Shooting, shooting!” someone yelled as one blast sounded off, causing vendor Christopher Monterroso to hurriedly turn his head toward the feeling crowd while still holding a honey cone.
“Shooting, oh sh-t. Oh sh-t right here,” Monterroso said as he screamed at staff to get down.
Several people were seen leaping from behind a barricade and grabbing onto their loved ones’ hands as they sprinted away from the sound of gunfire.
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Dominique Campbell, who drove up from LA for the festival to sell his clothing brand “Soup,” said he and his sister ducked for cover.
“One of the people who got hit made it to my booth,” he told the Times.
“I grabbed a T-shirt and wrapped her leg and just put pressure on it.”
Campbell said the woman didn’t know she had been shot.
“She kept asking what happened,” he said.
Chase Hutchinson was near the SIFF Film Center – around 0.2 miles away – when shots rang out.
“Immediately I knew what it was,” he said.
“I took a second for people to start running. There was this kind of surreal moment of ‘what happened?’ It all happened really, really fast.”
Patrons in the Pacific Science Center’s IMAX theater were evacuated.
“Come out with your hands up,” a cop told guests, according to Sean Swanson who was inside the room.
Swanson, from west Seattle, initially thought the instruction was for a suspect before realizing it was for those in the theater.
An appeal has been put out for witnesses but Davis said, “They’re not coming forward.”
“We need your help,” the cop begged.
“We can’t solve this without help from our community.”
Girmay Zahilay, the King County Executive, said he was “horrified” by Sunday’s scenes.
“For years the Bite has been one of Seattle’s signature summer traditions,” he said.
“To see violence at a place that brings so many people together is heartbreaking and unacceptable.
“My heart is with the victims and their loved ones, those who were senselessly injured.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said his “prayers are with the families of the victims, and the responders as they work to keep people safe.”
