15-year-old arrested after shooting at Seattle food festival kills three, injures five

What happened

On Sunday, July 26, around 6 p.m., gunfire broke out at the Bite of Seattle food festival, a free event held near the Space Needle that attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees annually. Deputy Police Chief Tyrone Davis said investigators believe two individuals began shooting at each other outside the Seattle Center Armory, and that festivalgoers were caught in the crossfire rather than targeted. Witnesses described chaos: one told KOMO News he heard popping sounds, then saw families and children fleeing; someone yelled "active shooter," and he jumped a fence to escape. Another witness reported hearing at least two dozen shots.

Two men, ages 19 and 44, were pronounced dead at the scene. A 56-year-old woman was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition and later died. Four gunshot victims were transported to the hospital: a 2-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman, and the 56-year-old. Harborview spokesperson Susan Gregg said Monday morning that the toddler was in satisfactory condition, while the other two surviving adults had been discharged. A fifth person, a 40-year-old woman, was treated at the scene for minor injuries. Police are also working to determine whether a 27-year-old man who sought treatment at UW Medical Center - Montlake was wounded in the shooting.

Investigation and arrests

A 15-year-old suspect was taken into custody Sunday night and is being held in juvenile detention on suspicion of firearms violations and first-degree assault. He was expected to appear in court Monday afternoon. Police Chief Shon Barnes said a second shooter remains at large and may be among the dead, but that has not been confirmed.

There is a second shooter. We are trying to identify who that person is. Our officers need your help.

Two firearms were recovered at the scene. Detectives are analyzing the weapons and reviewing private security footage and cellphone video from witnesses, as the city's closed-circuit surveillance system does not cover Seattle Center. Barnes, who was attending a law enforcement conference in Dallas at the time of the shooting, said the investigation is in its early stages.

Official reactions

Mayor Katie Wilson condemned the shooting as an act of horrific violence and announced that the city would expand its gun violence reduction efforts, including hiring a violence prevention expert and increasing enforcement in neighborhoods most affected by gun crime.

What happened at the Seattle Center today was an act of horrific violence. 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.

She noted that the shooting was the third major incident of gun violence in Seattle in a matter of days. "This has been an especially tough week in Seattle," she said. Wilson also acknowledged the psychological toll: "Many people who were not physically injured will carry what they experienced yesterday with them for a long time."

Governor Bob Ferguson deployed state patrol SWAT teams to assist local police.

My prayers are with the families of the victims, and the responders as they work to keep people safe.

Broader context

The shooting is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Seattle, where officials have grappled with gang violence and drive-by shootings in certain neighborhoods. In April, gunfire interrupted a mayoral press conference outside a community center, though no one was injured. Sunday's attack at a high-profile tourist destination has renewed debate over public safety and gun violence in the city.