SEATTLE (AP) — Police reported on Monday that at least three suspects were involved in a shootout at a crowded food festival near Seattle’s Space Needle over the weekend, resulting in three fatalities. One of the deceased was among the shooters. A document filed in juvenile court indicated that a 15-year-old, who was arrested, waived his initial court appearance. Authorities believe there were at least three shooters: the 15-year-old, an acquaintance who died at the scene, and at least one other unidentified suspect. Seattle Police Department’s Assistant Chief of Investigations, Nicole Powell, stated in a news conference that the shooting may have been gang-related, involving two groups exchanging gunfire. The deceased shooter was identified as 19 years old. A judge has ordered the 15-year-old to remain in juvenile detention while investigations into firearms violations and first-degree assault continue. The King County prosecutor’s office is expected to receive the case from Seattle police on Wednesday for a charging decision.
The gunfire occurred around 6 p.m. on Sunday during the final hours of the Bite of Seattle festival, leading to three deaths and at least four injuries, including a toddler. The annual three-day event attracts numerous food and retail vendors as well as performers to Seattle Center, a large park near the Space Needle. Many attendees fled into nearby buildings or ran from the park upon hearing the shots.
Confusion surrounded the initial reports of the shooting. The police department delayed five hours before confirming that one shooter had been arrested and that another was still at large. Earlier, Mayor Katie Wilson had stated that two individuals were in custody, a claim she later retracted. Police Chief Shon Barnes, who was attending a conference in Dallas at the time of the incident, mentioned that investigators were uncertain if the second shooter was among the deceased and did not reference additional shooters during the news conference.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44; Ashley Whitehead, 56; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. Villalba was a father of three, remembered for his kindness. He died from a gunshot wound to the torso. The four injured included a 2-year-old boy, who is in satisfactory condition, while the others—a 23-year-old man, a 27-year-old man, and a 39-year-old woman—have been discharged from the hospital. One victim was struck while walking a bicycle, according to court documents.
On Monday, vendors returned to the festival site to collect their equipment, finding food items left behind as attendees fled. A visible stain, presumed to be blood, remained near the shooting location. A candlelight vigil was planned for Monday night at the International Fountain in Seattle Center. Officers were present at the event and responded quickly, with at least one officer witnessing the shooting. Police conducted a search of an IMAX theater on the grounds, suspecting a second shooter may have fled there.
Festival attendee Adam Lombardo described the scene as chaotic, referring to the fleeing crowd as a “stampede.” He recounted how police escorted vendors back to the area to turn off their cooking equipment. Another attendee, Faith Adia Hunter, shared that she and her friends were about to eat when they heard the gunfire and sought shelter in a nearby museum. Moises Perez, who was cooking in his apartment nearby, helped individuals who rushed into his home seeking safety. He later saw a woman being treated for a gunshot wound. The festival, which began in 1982, typically attracts around 350,000 attendees, according to its website.