A 15-year-old boy has been arrested as a suspect in a shooting in Seattle that left three people dead, according to local authorities. The incident occurred during the Bite of Seattle food festival near the Space Needle on Sunday evening. The teenager was taken into custody and is currently held at a juvenile detention center while investigators probe charges of assault and weapon possession. He is scheduled to appear before a judge later on Monday afternoon. The shooting took place around 6 p.m. local time, late in the third day of the annual three-day culinary event. The Bite of Seattle typically draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, with hundreds of food stalls, shops, and musical performances. This year’s edition saw a tragic turn when gunfire erupted among attendees. Two men, aged 19 and 44, and a woman, 56 years old, were killed on-site, while a third victim died later in the hospital. Four others were injured, including a two-year-old child who remains hospitalized in stable condition. Three other victims, two men aged 23 and 27, and a woman aged 39—were released from the hospital. Authorities confirmed the identity of the detained youth, who is 15 years old, during a press conference led by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. She stated that the investigation continues and that police are still searching for a second suspect. According to Seattle Police Department officials, both suspects exchanged fire during the attack. However, the department's deputy chief, Tyrone Davis, noted that there is no active threat at this time, though they have yet to describe the second individual involved. One of the suspects turned himself in at the scene, while the other managed to escape. A large police operation and emergency response team evacuated the Seattle Center complex following the shooting, and the monorail connecting the area remained closed until early Monday morning. Witnesses described the chaos that ensued. Faith Adia Hunter recounted that she and friends had just purchased crepes when the shooting began. “We were about to start eating,” she said. “We heard someone shout and saw people running.” They sought shelter in a children’s museum. Roberto Ramírez, a vendor at the event, initially thought the shots were fireworks. “Everything went quiet. People were scared,” he recalled. Later, as panic subsided, some visitors arrived unaware of the situation and were directed away by officers. Estan Wakonabo, another attendee, described the scene as he waited in line for a photo booth with his girlfriend. “People hid, pushed, fell to the ground, baby strollers toppled over,” he said. “When I heard ‘pop, pop, pop,’ I knew there was a shooter.” After ensuring his partner’s safety, Wakonabo returned to the area and reported seeing several victims lying on the ground. As the investigation progressed, many vendors returned to the site on Monday to begin cleaning up and retrieving their belongings, which had been abandoned during the evacuation. For the night, a candlelight vigil was planned at the International Fountain within the Seattle Center to honor the victims.
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