2 dead, 5 injured in Seattle Center festival shooting

Gunfire tore through the Bite of Seattle festival grounds at Seattle Center on Sunday night, killing two people and injuring at least five others, including a child. The shooting happened July 26, 2026, while the civic campus beside the Space Needle was packed with festivalgoers.

The Seattle Fire Department confirmed that two people died at the scene, and several injured victims were taken to Harborview. Police said multiple people were shot near Seattle's Space Needle and told the public, "Please avoid the area."

The first hours after the attack left the full condition of the wounded unclear. NBC News said the victims' injuries were not immediately clear at the time of its update, while an AP-style report said at least four people, including a child, were wounded by gunfire at the Seattle festival.

Seattle Center is the civic complex that hosts large public events, including the Bite of Seattle food festival, making the attack especially jarring for families and other summer crowds. The shooting will sharpen scrutiny of how Seattle secures dense urban gatherings, where open access, heavy foot traffic and fast emergency response all collide in the same limited space.