A shooting at Seattle's annual Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday evening, July 26, 2026, left three people dead and at least four others injured, including a 2-year-old child. The gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. at Seattle Centre, the sprawling venue steps from the iconic Space Needle, where the three-day event was drawing an estimated 350,000 visitors.
Details of the Incident
According to CNN and Al Jazeera, officers responded to reports of shots fired and found two victims dead at the scene. Four other individuals were rushed to Harborview Medical Centre with gunshot wounds. A fifth victim later arrived at a separate hospital with a gunshot injury. Seattle Police Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis confirmed during a late Sunday press briefing that one of the hospitalized patients had died, raising the death toll to three.
Harborview Medical Centre stated that the four patients it received suffered gunshot wounds to various body parts, including the arm, leg, abdomen, and lower leg. The 2-year-old child was among the injured, though specific details on the child's condition have not been released.
Suspects and Investigation
Assistant Chief Davis said investigators believe two individuals were shooting at each other during the incident. One suspect was taken into custody, while a search for a second person believed to be involved remains ongoing. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson initially reported two people in custody but later corrected that figure to one.
Police recovered two weapons from the scene. Davis assured the public that there is no outstanding threat to the community, though the motive for the shooting is still unknown. Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward with information.
Response and Community Reaction
Police, fire services, and officers from multiple agencies, including the FBI, were deployed to the scene. Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson said a SWAT team was also dispatched at the request of Seattle police and urged the public to avoid the area.
Videos circulating on social media captured the moment crowds of festival-goers, who had been walking between vendor stalls, suddenly fled in panic. Witnesses told CNN affiliate KOMO they heard between seven and eight shots. One man near a live music stage said he counted at least two dozen rounds fired. Another described bystanders initially dismissing the sounds as fireworks before realizing what was happening and rushing to escape. Some people sought refuge inside the Space Needle's gift shop, footage showed. The Seattle Centre Monorail was shut down for the remainder of the day and was expected to resume service on Monday morning.
Mayor Wilson described the attack as an act of horrific violence, adding that the community is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection, and joy ended in gunfire. She promised transparency as the investigation continues.
Broader Context
The shooting is one of at least 271 mass shootings recorded in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which classifies a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people are shot.
This incident echoes a recent event near the White House, where a man who opened fire near a security checkpoint on May 23 was shot and killed by officers. That marked the third gunfire incident near President Donald Trump in the past month.
