Tragic Shooting at Seattle Food Festival Leaves Two Dead and Five Injured

Shooting Incident at Seattle Festival

On Sunday evening, a shooting at a food festival near the Space Needle in Seattle resulted in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to five others, as reported by a spokesperson from the city's fire department. The incident caused panic, with videos showing frightened attendees fleeing for safety amidst the sound of gunfire. A man was heard shouting, “Shooting!” while another voice urged people to “Get down,” prompting many to seek refuge inside the lobby of the Space Needle. The scene was marked by a significant police presence, with numerous emergency vehicles and officers in tactical gear responding swiftly.

Eyewitness Accounts of the Chaos

Witnesses recounted the chaotic moments as festival-goers scattered in all directions following the gunfire. Faith Adia Hunter shared that she and her friends had just collected food from a vendor when the shooting erupted. "We were right next to him when it started, so we took off running," she stated. Another attendee, Estan Wakonabo, described how he and his girlfriend were at a photo booth when people began rushing past them. "People were hiding, pushing, and falling on the ground; baby strollers were tumbling over," he recalled. After ensuring his girlfriend's safety, he returned to find several victims on the ground.

Paul Skinner, a 47-year-old vendor at the festival, mentioned that he had just returned with drinks for his staff when he initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks. "I just heard what sounded like some pretty loud fireworks at first," he noted. The annual festival, which began in 1982, attracts around 350,000 visitors over three days, celebrating food, drink, and community.