Seattle shooting at food festival kills three, injures five including toddler

Jul 26, 2026

A shooting at Seattle's annual Bite of Seattle food festival killed three people and injured five, including a toddler, on July 26, 2026. Police believe the incident was a shootout between two individuals near the Space Needle. One suspect surrendered at the scene and was arrested, while a manhunt is underway for a second. The attack caused widespread panic, with officials calling it an "act of horrific violence."

Seattle food festival shooting

▪The Bite of Seattle festival, which started in 1982, typically draws 350,000 attendees over three days.
▪Police believe two suspects were shooting at each other, with members of the public caught in the crossfire.
▪A shooting at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival on July 26, 2026, occurred around 6 p.m. near the Space Needle.
▪The attack is one of at least 271 mass shootings recorded in the U.S. in 2026, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Victim injury details

▪The deceased victims were identified as two men, ages 19 and 44, and a 56-year-old woman.
▪Three people were killed in the shooting.
▪Five people were wounded in the shooting, including a 2-year-old boy.
▪Two of the victims died at the scene, while a third died at a hospital.

Suspect apprehension

▪One suspect was arrested after surrendering to police at the scene.
▪Two weapons were recovered from the scene of the shooting.

Manhunt for second suspect

▪Police are searching for a second suspect who fled the scene.
▪Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis stated there was no ongoing threat to the public despite a suspect remaining at large.
▪Police did not have a description of the outstanding suspect.

Eyewitness accounts

▪Witness Estan Wakonabo described people falling and baby strollers being toppled as crowds fled.
▪Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos, with some initially mistaking the gunshots for fireworks.
▪Some festival attendees took shelter in the nearby Seattle Children's Museum during the shooting.

Official responses

▪U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in a statement that she was "absolutely horrified" by the violence.
▪Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said State Patrol SWAT officers were deployed to assist local police.
▪Harborview Medical Center, which treated several victims, went into a "partial lockdown" following the incident.