Police searching for 2nd suspect in Bite of Seattle shooting that killed 3, hurt 4

SEATTLE (KOMO) — A mass shooting during the Bite of Seattle festival at Seattle Center on Sunday evening left three people dead and four others injured, including a 2-year-old boy, according to the Seattle police and fire departments. Investigators said early reports indicate that two suspects exchanged gunfire outside the Seattle Center armory and bystanders were caught in the crossfire. Police said they don't believe the public is in danger, and investigators are working to identify others involved in the shooting.
The three people who died were a 19-year-old man, a 44-year-old man, and a 56-year-old woman. Two died at the scene, and a third person died at Harborview Medical Center. The Seattle Fire Department said a 40-year-old woman had minor injuries and declined to be taken to the hospital. Four people, including the 2-year-old boy, were taken to Harborview. As of Sunday night, Harborview officials said three people were in satisfactory condition: a 39-year-old woman, a 23-year-old man and the 2-year-old. Hospital officials said their injuries involved gunshot wounds to the leg, abdomen and arm.
Susan Gregg of Harborview Medical Center said the hospital regularly prepares for incidents like this. “It’s a busy time for Harborview, it’s the trauma center, it’s the summer. It’s very busy, this is what we’re meant to do. We’re always ready because we’re a level one trauma center, so if something like this happens, an unfortunate shooting, then we deliver and that’s what we did this evening,” Gregg said.
On Monday morning, a security guard at Seattle Center said the grounds were closed to the public as vendors packed up their stands, some with food left on grills that had been cooking, after they were forced to flee amid the chaos. A large police presence remains at the scene.
One of the questions being asked after Sunday's shooting is why it took police so long to hold a news conference. The news conference with police, the mayor and several political leaders did not begin until just before 11 p.m., more than four hours after the shots were fired. A Seattle Police Department spokesperson said some dignitaries wanted to attend the news conference.
Police said gunfire erupted just after 6 p.m. during the popular event. Video from a vendor captured frantic bystanders running away from the area just north of the Seattle Center Armory as officers ran toward the shots. Witnesses could be heard yelling and screaming as people fled, including some carrying children.
Mayor Katie Wilson called the shooting “an unbelievable tragedy.” “I’m sorry that we’re having to gather here tonight under these tragic circumstances. What happened here today at the Seattle Center was an unbelievable tragedy,” Wilson said.
Acting Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis said officers were already at the event and moved toward the gunfire. “This is a tragedy. I’m really sorry that this happened. The Bite of Seattle is a very positive event. We haven’t had any issues in recent years. Thankfully, we had officers on scene who were brave, went toward those shots, and prevented more victims from being injured,” Davis said.
Seattle police confirmed one suspected shooter remained at large, while another suspect — described by police as a “young person” — was arrested. Officers took one man into custody and brought him to police headquarters to be interviewed. Investigators, with help from the FBI, were pursuing leads to identify anyone else who may have been involved. Detectives are also working to determine a motive.
The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of any outstanding suspect(s) in the shooting.
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