Shooting at a Seattle food festival leaves 2 dead and wounds 5, fire official says

SEATTLE (AP) – Two people were killed and five others were injured in a shooting during a food festival Sunday evening at an events complex near the Space Needle in Seattle, a spokesman for the city fire department said.

Police are investigating the attack and have urged people to avoid the area just northwest of the city centre.

The gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle festival.

Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said the hospital admitted four victims, including a toddler, a 23-year-old man and two adult women.

He said one patient was in critical condition.

Seattle Center was hosting the Bite of Seattle food festival over the weekend. Around 18:00, many police and emergency teams intervened and started to evacuate the area.

Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were waiting in line for a photo booth at the festival when he was pushed from behind and when he turned around he saw a stream of people running away.

“People were hiding, pushing, falling to the ground, baby strollers were falling,” Wakonabo said, adding that he heard gunshots at the time.

“When I heard ‘pop, pop, pop’ I knew it was a shooter,” he said.

Wakonabo said that after escorting his girlfriend to safety, he returned to the scene to take photos and saw several victims on the ground.

The annual festival began in 1982 and attracts 350,000 attendees over “a three-day celebration of food, drink and community,” according to its website.