Eugene JohnsonUpdated July 27, 2026 — 1:43pm,first published 1:38pmSeattle: Two people have been killed, and five others wounded, in a shooting at an events complex near Seattle’s Space Needle, a city fire department spokesperson has said.Police are responding and have urged people to avoid the area just north-west of the city centre.The gunfire erupted about 6pm on Sunday (local time) at the Seattle Centre during the Bite of Seattle food festival. The Seattle Times reported witnesses describing a chaotic scene, with bursts of gunfire and masses of people running and taking cover.A police officer on patrol after a shooting at Seattle Centre during the Bite of Seattle food festival.AP Photo/Lindsey WassonThe news site said any apparent motive remained unclear.Harborview Medical Centre spokeswoman Susan Gregg said the hospital admitted four victims: a toddler, a 23-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman and a 56-year-old woman. One patient was in critical condition, she said. They were all suffering gunshot wounds, the Seattle Times reported.Another woman, 40, suffered minor injuries.A police officer stands at a closed-off area after the shooting.AP Photo/Lindsey WassonA large number of police and emergency crews responded at about 6pm and began evacuating the area.Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were at the festival waiting in line for a photo booth when he was shoved from behind and he turned to see a rush of people fleeing.“People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,” Wakonabo said. That was when he heard gunshots, he said.“Once I heard a ‘pop, pop, pop’, that’s when I knew it was a shooter,” he said.The annual festival started in 1982 and draws 350,000 attendees over three days.AP Photo/Lindsey WassonAfter he escorted his girlfriend to safety, he returned to the scene to take photos and saw multiple victims on the ground, Wakonabo said.The annual festival started in 1982 and draws 350,000 attendees over “three days of food, drink and community celebration”, according to its website.APGet a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.From our partners