15-year-old detained in Seattle food festival shooting that left 3 dead and toddler hospitalized
By Julianna Bragg, Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN
(CNN) — Police confirmed Monday a 15-year-old has been detained in connection with Sunday’s shooting at Seattle Center. Two men, aged 18 and 44, and a woman, aged 56, were killed and several others – including a toddler—were wounded.
Seattle police continue to search for a second suspect in the shooting at a popular food festival at the foot of the city’s iconic Space Needle.
Authorities believe two people were shooting at each other, according to Seattle Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis, who said there is no ongoing threat to the public.
The deadly Sunday-evening shooting at the Bite of Seattle, a free event that draws hundreds of thousands of guests each year, sent attendees running for their lives. A large group was seen knocking down a fence to escape after a volley of gunfire, the latest gruesome entry in the ever-expanding log of Americans victimized by gun violence while doing everyday activities.
Authorities responded to reports of a shooting just after 6 p.m. at the Seattle Center.
“There were about six or seven, multiple gunshots,” Justice Beitzel, who was eating with friends as a concert played nearby, told CNN’s Ben Hunte. “All of a sudden, I just saw people running towards us.”
Two people were declared dead at the scene. Another victim died after being taken to a local hospital, Davis said late Sunday.
In emergency dispatch audio obtained by CNN, one person was heard requesting a “small child tourniquet” for a victim at the scene.
A 2-year-old boy was taken to Harborview Medical Center, the fire department said Sunday. By Monday morning, the toddler remained at the hospital in “satisfactory condition,” according to Susan Gregg, the hospital’s media relations director.
A few other victims were seen at local hospitals, including a 23-year-old man and 39-year-old woman who have since been discharged from Harborview, and a 27-year-old man who was released from nearby UW Medical Center – Montlake, Gregg added.
Police recovered two weapons and said two people were believed to be shooting at each other. Davis described the suspect in custody as a young person.
What prompted the shooting isn’t known. Authorities urged people who witnessed the shooting to come forward with any information that could be helpful for the investigation.
The shooting is one of at least 271 mass shootings in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more victims are shot.
The Seattle Center spans a 74-acre campus and is home to the Space Needle and the city’s largest arena, drawing more than 12 million visitors each year. And hundreds of thousands of those visitors bring their appetites to the center for the annual Bite of Seattle Festival, which hosts hundreds of local vendors offering creative foods and live entertainment across three days.
Crowds of people walked through the aisles of outdoor vendors Sunday, passing plates of poke, bowls of noodles and freshly grilled seafood. Social media users gleefully documented their cheese pulls and noodle swirls in videos shared online.
As shots were fired, the jovial mood turned to panic. Festival-goers rushed to flee the danger.
A livestream from food vendor Hawaiian Honey Cones captured a man speaking to the camera as at least four gunshots rang out in the background.
People ducked and ran from the scene as a large group of attendees knocked down a fence on their way out of the area.
In the aftermath of the chaos, witnesses shared varying accounts of what they saw and heard.
Two witnesses told CNN affiliate KOMO they heard seven to eight gunshots, as people ran in all directions. Another attendee said he was near a stage where a band was performing, when he heard at least two dozen shots.
Another man said some people didn’t react right away, thinking, “Oh it must be fireworks or something.” But after more shots were heard, he saw people “storming through the area” trying to get out.
Some people appeared to take shelter in the gift shop of the Space Needle at the Seattle Center, video shared with CNN showed.
Police, emergency responders and officers from several agencies, including the FBI, were at the scene afterward, video showed.
A Washington state SWAT team was also on its way to assist at the request of Seattle police, Gov. Bob Ferguson said.
CNN has reached out to Seattle police and city officials, as well as the Seattle Center, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson called the shooting “an act of horrific violence” and said the community “is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection, and joy ended in gunfire.”
“In the days ahead, we will establish what happened and be transparent with the public about what we have learned,” Wilson wrote. “Tonight, our attention belongs to the people whose lives were taken, those fighting to recover, and the families beside them.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
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CNN’s Sara Smart, Hanna Park, Amanda Watts, Jamie Gumbrecht and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
