Seattle Center Shooting Shocks Bite of Seattle Festival

On Sunday evening, the festive buzz of the annual Bite of Seattle food festival was abruptly shattered by the sound of gunfire. Police confirmed that multiple victims were shot near the Seattle Center, sending shockwaves through the crowd and prompting an immediate emergency response.

The Seattle Police Department posted an update on X, urging anyone in the area to stay clear while officers combed the scene. "Police are investigating a shooting. Multiple shooting victims. Shots fired at the Seattle Center. More information to come. Please avoid the area," the department wrote.

Harborview Medical Center began receiving the injured, while a spokesperson for UW Medicine said they would release further details as they become available. The Seattle Monorail halted service for the rest of Sunday, promising to resume operations on Monday morning.

Eyewitnesses described panic setting in within seconds. "I heard bang, bang, bang, and then people started screaming," one bystander told local reporters. Kayla Carris, 22, who was standing outside the Seattle Center Armory, recounted how attendees fled in a rush, dropping belongings as they scrambled for safety.

Social media lit up with videos showing a heavy police presence, ambulances streaming in, and crowds scrambling away from the venue. One post claimed a suspect had already been detained, but officials have not confirmed any arrests and have kept suspect details under wraps.

As investigators continue to piece together what happened, they have asked the public to avoid the Seattle Center area. The community, still reeling from the sudden violence, hopes for answers soon.