Seattle food festival shooting leaves two dead, five injured near Space Needle

Gunfire erupted during the Bite of Seattle festival near the Space Needle, killing two and injuring five. The attack shattered a major community event and prompted a continuing police investigation.Stock photo used for illustrationTwo people were killed and five others were wounded in a shooting on Sunday evening during a food festival at an events complex near Seattle's Space Needle, authorities said. Police said they were investigating the shooting and urged people to avoid the area just northwest of downtown.The gunfire broke out around 6 pm at the Seattle Centre during the Bite of Seattle festival, leading to a large response from police and emergency crews, who began evacuating the area.A spokesperson for the city fire department said two people were killed and five were wounded. Susan Gregg, a spokesperson for Harborview Medical Centre, said the hospital admitted four victims, including a toddler, a 23-year-old man and two adult women. She said one patient was in critical condition.Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were at the festival waiting in line for a photo booth when he was shoved from behind and turned to see people rushing away. "People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling," Wakonabo said, adding that was when he heard gunshots. "Once I heard a 'pop, pop, pop', that's when I knew it was a shooter," he said. Wakonabo said that after escorting his girlfriend to safety, he returned to the scene to take photos and saw multiple victims on the ground.The annual Bite of Seattle festival started in 1982 and draws 350,000 attendees over "three days of food, drink, and community celebration", according to its website. The shooting during this year's event left two people dead and five wounded, and police were continuing their investigation. With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 27, 2026 09:28 IST