Three people were killed and four others were injured after gunfire erupted at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday evening, sending families and visitors running through the crowded Seattle Center grounds.

Seattle police said officers working at the festival heard shots shortly after 6pm and reached the area outside the Seattle Center Armory within seconds.

Seven people were struck. A 19-year-old man and a 44-year-old man died at the scene, while a 56-year-old woman later died at Harborview Medical Center. Four other people, including a toddler, were taken to hospital and were reported to be in stable condition early on Monday.

Police believe two people exchanged gunfire

Investigators believe the shooting began when two individuals fired at one another in the middle of the public event. Police arrested one man and took him to headquarters for questioning, while detectives continued searching for others believed to have been involved.

Authorities said they did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the wider public. Officers secured the area, provided emergency medical aid and began collecting witness accounts, video recordings and physical evidence.

The Homicide Unit and Gun Violence Reduction Unit are leading the investigation. Police have appealed for anyone with footage or information to contact the department.

A family festival thrown into chaos

The Bite of Seattle is a major food and entertainment event held at Seattle Center, the cultural complex surrounding the Space Needle. The presence of families and children intensified the shock of the shooting.

Witnesses described people fleeing, taking cover and helping the injured as officers and paramedics arrived. The location’s open public spaces and large crowd created both urgency and difficulty for emergency responders attempting to identify the shooters.

The shooting has renewed questions about gun violence in public spaces and the security challenges facing large outdoor events. Festival policing can deter some threats, but an exchange of gunfire inside a crowd can unfold faster than officers can prevent it.

The investigation moves forward

Police have not yet released a full account of what led to the confrontation. The arrested person has not been publicly charged, and investigators have not confirmed the identity or number of other suspects being sought.

The priority is now to establish who fired, which bullets struck each victim and whether any weapons were unlawfully carried into the event. Detectives will also examine whether the people involved knew one another before the shooting.

For Seattle, the immediate focus remains on the victims and their families. A festival intended to bring the city together ended with three deaths, four injuries and another investigation into how quickly interpersonal violence can become a public tragedy.