SEATTLE—Two people were killed and at least four others were wounded, including a toddler, in a shooting Sunday evening at Seattle Center during the annual Bite of Seattle food festival, according to police radio traffic and emergency officials.
Gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. near the Armory and the area of Sue Bird Court and Thomas Street, where large crowds had gathered for the final day of the free-admission event. Seattle Fire Department personnel pronounced two victims dead at the scene. Among the wounded was a 2-year-old boy shot in the right arm who was listed in stable condition; other patients transported to Harborview Medical Center included a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman in stable condition, and a 56-year-old woman in serious condition. A 40-year-old female with minor injuries declined transport to a hospital.
According to first responder radio traffic reviewed by the Lynnwood Times, officers immediately began establishing a perimeter with a command post at the northwest corner of the Armory. Units were ordered to move in pairs and treat the area as a crime scene, with instructions to keep nonessential personnel out. Officers reported two suspects initially taken into custody and two gunshot victims, then updates of additional victims, including the toddler on the grass and another person on the east side of the command post area.
Radio traffic later described outstanding suspects. One was reported as an Arabic male wearing a gray shirt and light jeans. A second was described as a Black male about 20 years old, 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with shoulder-length dreadlocks featuring blonde tips, a jean jacket with a camera detail on the bottom, a black shirt and black pants. He was last reported seen near Sue Bird Court. Officers also broadcast a report of a person in a camouflage jacket and another with a pistol.
Police and fire units secured the grounds while checking for additional injuries. Officers later moved to contain the Pacific Science Center IMAX theater after a caller reported secondhand information that an individual matching a suspect description might be inside. Theater staff stopped the movie, and officers prepared to screen exiting patrons. SWAT was requested, and units covered exits. A King County sheriff’s deputy offered a drone for deployment.
Harborview Medical Center went on lockdown amid the mass-casualty response. Seattle police publicly stated they were investigating a shooting with multiple victims and asked the public to avoid the Seattle Center area. Officials continued clearing the grounds and neighboring businesses as people who had sheltered in place sought guidance on whether it was safe to leave.
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Author: Mario Lotmore
