Seattle police say shooting incident at food festival over the weekend may have been gang related

By Malek Fouda Published on 28/07/2026 - 6:26 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp The shooting incident killed three people, one of them now identified as one of the shooters, and injured four others, including a two-year-old boy, according to Seattle police. There were at least three suspects involved in a shootout at a crowded food festival near Seattle’s Space Needle over the weekend, one of them was among those killed in the incident, police said Monday ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In a document filed in juvenile court in Seattle, Washington, where a 15-year-old arrested in the case waived his initial appearance on Monday, police said they believe there were at least three shooters, rather than two: the 15-year-old, an acquaintance who died at the scene and “at least one other unknown suspect.” Nicole Powell, the Seattle Police Department's assistant chief of investigations, said in a press briefing on Monday afternoon that investigators believe the shooting may have been gang-related, with two groups firing at each other. The deceased shooter was 19. The US flag flies at half staff at the Space Needle as cleanup continues the day after a shooting at Seattle Center during a food festival, Monday, July 27, 2026 Lindsey Wasson/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved. A judge ordered the 15-year-old held in juvenile detention for investigation of firearms violations and first-degree assault. The King County prosecutor's office said it expected to receive the case from Seattle police on Wednesday for a charging decision. The gunfire erupted around 6 pm local time on Sunday in the waning hours of the ‘Bite of Seattle’ food festival – an annual event cherished in the city – leaving three people dead and at least four others, including a toddler, injured. The three-day festival draws hundreds of food and retail vendors and performers to Seattle Center, a sprawling park in the shadow of the Space Needle, and hundreds of thousands of attendees over the event’s 72-hour run time. A vendor throws away food while cleaning up the day after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival, Monday, July 27, 2026, in Seattle Lindsey Wasson/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved. News that there were at least three suspects followed a series of confusing statements from city officials concerning the shooting. On Sunday, the Seattle police department waited five hours to share with the public that one shooter had been arrested and that they believed another to be on the loose. Earlier, Mayor Katie Wilson had announced two people were in custody, a statement she retracted. At a news conference before the court hearing on Monday, Police Chief Shon Barnes said investigators weren’t sure if the second shooter was among the dead. Neither Barnes nor the mayor made any reference to additional shooters. Police attend to a person after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival Sunday, July 26, 2026, in Seattle, Washington Estan Wakonabo/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved. The officials defended their handling of the case, saying they were trying to ensure they provided accurate information about chaotic events. The King County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday identified the dead as Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44; Ashley Whitehead, 56; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. The four wounded included a 2-year-old boy, two men, aged 23 and 27, and a 39-year-old woman, all of whom were discharged, according to a hospital spokesperson. A worker cleans blood off the pavement the day after a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle food festival, Monday, July 27, 2026 Lindsey Wasson/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved. Vendors were allowed to return to the site on Monday morning to collect their equipment. Skewered squid on grills, roasted ducks in ovens and plates full of food were among the items left behind as people fled the scene when the shooting broke out. Returning vendors reported a stain on the ground of what appeared to be blood that was still visible. A candlelight vigil was planned on Monday night at the centre’s International Fountain to mourn the victims of the shooting. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Three people killed and four others injured in shooting at a Seattle festival Ukraine: Strikes in Zaporizhzhia and Sumy kill three civilians and injure dozens Gaza: Families mourn victims after overnight Israeli strikes that killed at least nine Seattle civilian deaths injury United States Shootings Festival