SEATTLE — Three people were killed and four others were injured in a shooting at the Seattle Center on Sunday evening while the venue hosted the Bite of Seattle food festival. Police are searching for a second suspect who fled the scene after one individual surrendered at the location.

The shooting occurred at approximately 6 p.m. local time on Sunday at the Seattle Center. Two people died at the scene of the shooting, and one victim died at a hospital after being transported from the site.

Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis stated that investigators believe two individuals were shooting at each other. Two firearms were recovered at the scene of the shooting. Davis described the suspect in custody as a "young person." He stated there is no outstanding threat to the community.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson initially stated two suspects were in custody before updating her statement to reflect one suspect in custody. Wilson described the shooting as "an act of horrific violence."

Four injured victims, including a toddler, were transported to Harborview Medical Center. Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Grace Nuñez identified the injured as a 56-year-old woman, a 39-year-old woman, a 2-year-old boy, and a 23-year-old man.

Nuñez stated that a 40-year-old woman with minor injuries declined transport to a hospital. She stated that two people were pronounced dead at the scene after lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful.

Harborview Medical Center spokesperson Susan Gregg stated that one patient was in critical condition and undergoing surgery. Gregg stated that a pediatric male patient, a 23-year-old male, and a 39-year-old female were in satisfactory condition.

Witness Estan Wakonabo stated, "Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop,’ that’s when I knew it was a shooter." Wakonabo stated, "People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling." Witness Faith Adia Hunter stated, "We were right next to him when it started so we took off running." Vendor Roberto Ramirez stated, "Suddenly everything was empty."

The Seattle Center Monorail ceased operations for the remainder of Sunday following the shooting. The monorail has a safety record of zero fatalities in its 48-year history, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson stated that State Patrol SWAT officers were deployed to assist Seattle police. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stated that special agents were at the scene assisting Seattle police.

U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal stated, "Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this senseless violence." the deceased victims were two men, ages 19 and 44, and a 56-year-old woman.

The Seattle Center is an arts, educational, tourism and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington, United States. It has a long history of hosting large public events, including the annual Bumbershoot music festival, which draws over 100,000 attendees each year and has had multiple security and safety measures in place since 2001.

According to the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Bite of Seattle food festival has drawn over 1.5 million people across its three days in recent years, with the 2026 event expected to be one of the largest yet. The Seattle Fire Department has conducted regular drills at the Seattle Center since 2015 to prepare for mass casualty incidents, including active shooter scenarios and medical emergencies.

In 2019, the Seattle Police Department issued a report noting that 85% of gun-related incidents in the city occurred in public spaces, with the Seattle Center being one of the top five locations for such incidents in 2018. Seattle Center has previously hosted events that resulted in incidents of violence, including a 2016 incident where a man was shot during a concert at the venue, though no fatalities occurred.

Seattle Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis, who made statements about the incident, had previously led the police response to the 2013 Seattle riots, where law enforcement used non-lethal tactics to manage crowds and prevent violence.