The shooting occurred shortly after 6pm at Seattle Center during the final hours of the Bite of Seattle, an annual event that attracts hundreds of food vendors, performers and large crowds. Police detained a person in connection with the incident, although investigators had not disclosed the individual’s suspected role, a possible motive or the circumstances that led to the violence.
Emergency personnel found two victims with fatal injuries at the scene. Four wounded people were transported to Harborview Medical Center, while another person with minor injuries was treated at the festival grounds.
The injured included the toddler, a 56-year-old woman, a man in his twenties and two other adults. The woman was reported to be in serious condition, while the child and two other patients taken to hospital were stable. Authorities did not immediately release the identities of those killed or provide further details about their ages.
Police closed sections of the Seattle Center campus and urged the public to avoid the area as officers searched festival booths, public spaces and nearby streets. The response included heavily armed officers and tactical personnel, while emergency crews established treatment areas for victims.
Witnesses described hearing a rapid series of shots before people began running from the festival grounds. Families took shelter behind stalls and inside buildings, while vendors abandoned booths as officers directed visitors towards exits. Video recorded at the event showed crowds fleeing and emergency vehicles converging on the complex.
The shooting happened near Sue Bird Court and Thomas Street, within the 74-acre Seattle Center campus northwest of the city’s downtown district. The site contains the Space Needle, Climate Pledge Arena, museums, theatres and several public gathering spaces.
Mayor Katie Wilson described the attack as a horrific act of violence and said a community celebration built around culture and connection had ended in gunfire. She expressed support for the victims’ families and said people attending public events should not have to fear being shot.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson also offered condolences and said state agencies were prepared to assist the investigation and recovery effort.
Detectives were examining surveillance footage, mobile-phone recordings and evidence collected from the scene. Police were also interviewing witnesses to determine whether the shooting followed an argument, involved more than one gunman or targeted particular individuals.
Authorities had not confirmed the number of weapons used or whether any firearms were recovered. They also had not said whether the detained person was formally arrested or faced criminal charges.
The Bite of Seattle has been held since 1982 and is one of the region’s best-known food and cultural festivals. The three-day event features restaurants, food trucks, cooking demonstrations, live entertainment and family activities. Organisers have previously estimated that it can attract about 350,000 visitors during a full weekend.
Sunday’s violence occurred as the festival was approaching its scheduled closing time. The area was still busy, with visitors moving between food stalls and performance stages when the shots were fired.
The incident is likely to prompt scrutiny of security arrangements at major open-air events. Seattle Center is a largely accessible public campus with multiple pedestrian entrances, making it difficult to screen every visitor or prevent firearms from being brought into outdoor spaces.
Large gatherings in the United States increasingly rely on visible police patrols, private security teams, surveillance cameras and emergency-response planning. Measures such as metal detectors and bag checks are more common at enclosed venues but can be difficult to operate across festivals spread over large public grounds.
Washington has expanded firearm regulations over the past decade, including background-check requirements, restrictions on certain weapons and measures intended to prevent people considered dangerous from possessing guns. Gun-rights groups have challenged several provisions, while advocates of tighter controls argue that enforcement gaps and the availability of firearms continue to expose public spaces to violence.
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