Workers and visitors helped families escape as police and firefighters responded to a shooting that killed three people.
SEATTLE — Families ran into museums, climbed over barriers and sheltered behind festival structures after gunfire erupted Sunday at the Bite of Seattle, turning the closing hours of a major community celebration into a chaotic evacuation.
Three people were killed and four others were wounded, including a 2-year-old boy, authorities said. Police believe two people were shooting at each other at Seattle Center at about 6 p.m. One suspect was taken into custody, and police were searching for another Monday.
The shooting happened as visitors gathered around food stands, carnival games and entertainment areas beneath the Space Needle. Some witnesses said the first shots sounded like fireworks or firecrackers. The danger became clear when people began shouting and rushing away from the central festival grounds.
Faith Adia Hunter said she and her friends had just bought food from a crepe vendor when the shooting began near them. They ran with other visitors into the Seattle Children’s Museum, one of several buildings that became an immediate refuge for people trying to get away from the gunfire.
Other visitors described a sudden surge through the crowd. Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend had been waiting for a photo booth when he was pushed from behind and turned to see people fleeing. He said people fell as they ran and some baby strollers overturned in the confusion.
Wakonabo said he first got his girlfriend to safety and then returned to see whether anyone needed help. He saw bystanders assisting the injured, including one person performing CPR. His account reflected a response that unfolded before many visitors fully understood how many people had been shot or where the danger was located.
Issaiah Flores, who was working at a carnival game, said he noticed children and other visitors trapped inside a play area as the crowd fled. He helped lift people over a fence so they could escape, then located his co-workers and left the area.
Vendors also abandoned tents, cooking equipment and food stands as officers moved people away from the scene. Hours later, some waited beyond police tape for information about when they could return for their belongings. People arriving after the shooting were redirected by officers before they entered the festival grounds.
Dozens of officers had already been assigned to provide security at the event, Acting Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis said. Officers heard the shots, moved toward the shooting and began giving emergency aid until Seattle Fire Department crews arrived. Police then searched the sprawling campus while responders evacuated the surrounding area.
The people killed were identified by age and gender as a 19-year-old man, a 44-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman. Authorities had not released their names. The injured included the toddler, a 23-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman and a 40-year-old woman who was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Hospital officials said Monday that the two hospitalized adults who survived had been discharged and the child was in satisfactory condition. An additional man treated at another medical center had also been released, according to local hospital reporting.
The Bite of Seattle began in 1982 and has grown into a three-day gathering featuring hundreds of food and retail vendors, performances and other attractions. Organizers say the event normally draws hundreds of thousands of people. Sunday’s shooting occurred during its final hours, when families and groups of friends still filled the grounds.
Mayor Katie Wilson said a gathering centered on culture, connection and enjoyment had ended in violence. She thanked first responders, hospital employees, Seattle Center workers and bystanders who helped others during the emergency. Wilson said city officials would work to determine what happened and provide information to the public.
Police recovered two guns and said there was no continuing threat to the general public, though a second suspected shooter remained unaccounted for. Investigators were seeking witness statements and recordings because no surveillance cameras covered the immediate shooting area.
Author note: Last updated July 27, 2026.