What had been a warm Sunday evening at one of Seattle’s most beloved summer traditions turned to chaos just after 6 p.m., when gunfire broke out at the Bite of Seattle festival, a three-day food and music event held annually at Seattle Center, steps from the Space Needle.

By the time the shooting stopped, three people were dead and four more were wounded, including a two-year-old boy shot in the arm. Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis said investigators believe two armed individuals fired at each other near the Seattle Center Armory, and that bystanders were caught in the crossfire.

A Chaotic Scene

Thousands of people were on the festival grounds when the shooting began. Witnesses described a burst of seven or eight rapid shots near the fountain area, followed by screaming and a stampede toward the exits. Some attendees said they jumped fences to get away; others took shelter inside nearby buildings, including the Seattle Children’s Museum, and waited for word that it was safe to come out.

Emergency dispatch audio obtained by news outlets captured a first responder requesting a small child’s tourniquet at the scene — a detail that underscored how young some of the victims were.

Two of the three people killed died at the scene. A third victim died after being taken to Harborview Medical Center. The Seattle Police Department said early Monday that the deceased were two men, ages 19 and 44, and a 56-year-old woman. Four other people were hospitalized: a young boy, a 23-year-old man, and a 39-year-old woman were listed in stable condition, while a fourth patient, a 40-year-old woman with minor injuries, declined to be taken to the hospital.

Response and Investigation