Seattle food festival shooting kills two, wounds five
Gunfire erupted on the final day of the Bite of Seattle food festival, leaving two people dead and five others injured. Law enforcement and emergency responders flooded the scene as authorities investigated.
Gunfire erupted on Sunday, July 26, 2026, at the Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival, leaving two people dead and five others injured. The shooting began at approximately 6 p.m. Local time near the festival grounds, a sprawling 74-acre entertainment and cultural complex located just northwest of downtown Seattle that also houses the Space Needle.
The Seattle Police Department issued an initial alert on X stating, Police are investigating a shooting. Multiple shooting victims. Shots fired at the Seattle Center. More information to come. Please avoid the area.
A heavy deployment of police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical responders flooded the scene, launching a massive evacuation as thousands of festival-goers scattered.
Media additions
According to Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Grace Nuñez, two victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Five additional patients were transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. The injured include a 56-year-old woman listed in serious condition, a 39-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man in stable condition, a 2-year-old boy also in stable condition, and a 40-year-old woman who sustained minor injuries and declined transport.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as the gunfire broke out on the final day of the three-day holiday event. Festival attendee Faith Adia Hunter recounted running into a nearby building alongside a frantic crowd when the shooting started close to them. Another witness, Estan Wakonabo, stated he was waiting in line for a photo booth when he was shoved from behind by a rush of fleeing people.
Wakonabo added that he heard a rapid sequence of pops before realizing an active shooter was present. Other witnesses reported hearing between seven and eight gunshots, with many attendees initially mistaking the loud reports for fireworks or celebratory noises before panic took hold."People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,"
Estan Wakonabo, witness, via AP
Founded in 1982, the Bite of Seattle is the city's oldest and most prominent food festival, typically drawing roughly 350,000 visitors over its three-day run with hundreds of food and beverage vendors, live music, and cooking demonstrations. Sunday's violence abruptly cut short the concluding hours of the event.
Local and state officials responded swiftly to the unfolding emergency. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced on social media that a Washington State Patrol SWAT team was dispatched to assist local law enforcement. U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal denounced the violence on X as senseless, stating that local and state leaders, including Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, were monitoring the fluid situation. Multiple agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also responded to the complex.
The incident caused immediate disruptions to local transportation. The Seattle Monorail shut down operations for the remainder of Sunday evening. Transit officials confirmed that the people mover would resume regular service on Monday morning, July 27, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. PT.
As the investigation continued, authorities had not yet released the identities of the victims or a definitive motive for the attack. While various unverified claims circulated online regarding the firearm used and whether a suspect was immediately taken into custody—with some reports mentioning a person detained and unconfirmed social media claims suggesting an AR-15 rifle—law enforcement officials have not formally confirmed suspect details or weapon type. Detectives continue to process evidence and interview witnesses at the Seattle Center.
