Three dead and several injured in shooting at food festival
Ella Scott
Featured Image Credit: David Ryder/Getty Images
A shooting at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival has seen three people being killed and multiple people being admitted to hospital, with officials still hunting for a second alleged assailant as of Monday (27 July).
The three-day event, described online as the city’s ‘largest free-admission festival’, saw more than 300 food and retail vendors, including craft beer brands and celebrated chefs, offering up good grub and better beverages to thousands of revellers.
However, the foodie celebration was marred by tragedy as shots rang out at around 6pm local time, according to the city fire department.
Assistant Chief of Seattle Police Tyrone Davis confirmed that two deaths were confirmed at the scene, with another person dying after being taken to hospital.
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A myriad of people have been injured, including a two-year-old child, as per officers.
Four of those who were casualties of the attack were taken to hospital and remain in a stable condition, the fire department stated.
A fifth person, also injured in the shooting, chose not to seek out medical care, officials stated.
Hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said the victims suffered injuries to the arm, abdomen or legs.
In an update, Mayor Katie Wilson said that one shooting suspect has since been taken into custody.
No details of the alleged assailant have been revealed except that they are a ‘young person’, as per Davis.
“This is a tragedy and I'm really sorry this happened,” he said in an update.
A second suspect fled the scene and is yet to be apprehended as of this morning (27 July), the BBC reported.
Detectives do not have any description of the outstanding suspect, as per Davis.
“We’re still trying to figure this out,” Davis said.
Condemining the shooting as an ‘act of horrific violence’, Wilson said: “Impacted families are living through the worst moment of their lives, and an entire community is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection, and joy ended in gunfire.
"Tonight, our attention belongs to the people whose lives were taken, those fighting to recover, and the families beside them," she continued.
"Seattle grieves with you, and we will stand with you in the difficult days ahead."
The Seattle Police Department confirmed that an investigation into the shooting is ongoing, urging people to avoid the area at all costs.
However, Davis told the media that there is ‘no outstanding threat to the community’; he and the force believe the incident was ‘two people… shooting at each other’.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has condemned the food festival shooting as an act of ‘senseless violence’.
"My prayers are with the families of the victims, and the responders as they work to keep people safe," he said via social media.
Meanwhile, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Seattle wrote: "Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this senseless violence.
"We are in close touch with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Governor Bob Ferguson, and co-ordinating across multiple levels of government to get updates on the situation.”
FOODbible has contacted the Seattle Police Department for comment.