Seattle food festival shooting leaves 3 dead, 4 injured; police hunt second suspect after arrest

A shooting at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival left three people dead and at least four others injured on Sunday evening, 26 July 2026, in a tourist district near the city's iconic Space Needle. Police arrested one suspect, described as a young male, and continue to search for a second person believed to have been involved.

What happened

Gunfire broke out around 6 p.m. local time during the closing hours of the three-day festival, which draws roughly 350,000 attendees and hundreds of food and retail vendors. Two witnesses told CNN they heard seven to eight shots, while another man near a band stage reported hearing at least two dozen shots. Police recovered two firearms at the scene. Video circulating online captured the moment attendees scattered, some breaking through fencing as a vendor ducked for cover.

We believe two people were shooting at each other.

Victims and injuries

Two men, aged 19 and 44, were pronounced dead at the scene. A 56-year-old woman later died at the hospital, raising the death toll to three. Four others were transported to Harborview Medical Center with gunshot wounds: two men aged 23 and 27, a 39-year-old woman, and a two-year-old boy. The woman was initially listed in critical condition; the boy remained hospitalized in satisfactory condition as of Monday. The injured men and the 39-year-old woman were discharged.

Suspects and investigation

Seattle Police Deputy Chief Tyrone Davis confirmed one suspect surrendered to officers who were already providing security at the event. A second suspect fled and remains at large, described by authorities as armed and dangerous. Police do not yet have a description of the second individual. The arrested suspect is expected to appear in court on Monday. Davis stated there is no ongoing threat to the public. Mayor Katie Wilson initially said two people were in custody but later corrected that statement.

We are still trying to figure out what happened.

Official response

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said a SWAT team was mobilized at the request of Seattle police. Multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, responded to the scene. The Seattle Center Monorail suspended service for the remainder of Sunday and resumed operations Monday morning. A candlelight vigil was scheduled for Monday evening at the International Fountain in downtown Seattle.

My prayers are with the families of the victims and first responders as they work to keep people safe.

Broader context

The shooting is among at least 271 mass shootings recorded in the United States so far in 2026, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot.