Three Killed in Shooting at Seattle Food Festival Near Space Needle

Three people have died and several others have been injured after a shooting at a food festival near Seattle’s Space Needle, police have said.

The gunfire erupted at around 18:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Sunday as crowds gathered for the annual Bite of Seattle food festival in one of the city’s busiest tourist areas.

Seattle Police said two suspects exchanged gunfire. One suspect has been taken into custody, while the second remains at large. Despite the ongoing search, officials said there is no continuing threat to the public.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, with a third victim later dying in hospital. Among those injured is a two-year-old boy.

Videos shared on social media showed visitors taking cover inside the Space Needle, with people crouching behind pillars and merchandise displays in the landmark’s lobby as shots rang out.

The Seattle Police Department said the investigation is ongoing and urged people to avoid the area while officers continue their inquiries.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson thanked emergency responders, saying she wanted to “thank the Seattle police officers who responded to the scene and took a suspect into custody”.

The mayor initially said two suspects had been arrested before later correcting her statement to confirm that only one person is in custody.

The Seattle Fire Department said four of the injured were taken to hospital in a stable condition, while a fifth person declined hospital treatment.