Seattle police have said they now believe at least three people were involved in a fatal shooting at a food festival on Sunday, revising an earlier account that pointed to a gun battle between two individuals.
The shooting took place during the final day of the Bite of Seattle, an annual free food festival held near the Space Needle that typically draws around 350,000 visitors over three days. Three people died and at least four others were injured, including a two-year-old boy, according to authorities.
Police initially said two suspects appeared to have exchanged gunfire at the scene. However, court documents filed in connection with the arrest of a 15-year-old suspect on Monday indicated that investigators now believe a third person was also involved. One suspect remains at large, while another is believed to have died at the scene, police said.
According to local media reports citing the court filings, investigators are searching for "at least one other unknown suspect". The 15-year-old waived his initial court appearance on Monday and was remanded in custody ahead of trial.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson confirmed at a news conference on Monday that police were continuing to search for a third possible suspect. She described the shooting as an "act of horrific violence".
The King County medical examiner identified the three people who died as Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19, Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, and Ashley Whitehead, 56. Two of the deaths were confirmed at the scene, while the third victim died later in hospital. Police said they now believe Semo was among those involved in exchanging gunfire.
Assistant Police Chief Nicole Powell told reporters on Monday afternoon that preliminary information suggested the shooting may have been "gang-related". She said the 15-year-old suspect and Semo were believed to be "associated with each other", though she declined to elaborate on the nature of that connection.
Two firearms were recovered at the scene, according to police, though it remains unclear how many weapons were used in total or whether further arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
Footage shared online showed festival-goers taking cover behind pillars and merchandise stands inside the Space Needle's lobby as gunfire broke out. Witnesses described scenes of confusion and panic as crowds fled the area.
Leanne Coles, who was at the festival, told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that people began running as soon as the shooting started. "Everybody started running, and so we just ran too, and we ran through the garden and we ducked and we decided to keep running with the crowd," she said.
Faith Adia Hunter, another witness, told the Associated Press that one of the shooters had been standing near her and her friends when gunfire broke out, prompting them to run for shelter in the nearby Seattle Children's Museum. "We were right next to him when it started so we took off running," she said.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said on social media that his thoughts were with the victims' families and with emergency responders who worked to secure the area during the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, with police continuing to appeal for information as they attempt to establish the exact sequence of events and identify the remaining suspect. Officials have not yet released further details on potential charges or the circumstances that led to the confrontation.
The case has drawn renewed attention to public safety at large gatherings in Seattle, a city that hosts numerous outdoor festivals each year. Authorities have not indicated whether security arrangements at the event will be reviewed as a result of the shooting.
