Seattle Center shooting leaves multiple people hurt, police say

A Seattle Center shooting injured several people Sunday evening, according to Seattle Police, sending officers and detectives to one of the city’s best-known public gathering spots as a major food festival was ending nearby.

The police department said on X that there were “multiple shooting victims” and asked people to stay out of the area while investigators worked to determine what happened. Police did not give the conditions of the people who were shot.

Seattle Police also had not released information about a possible gunman, according to NBC News. No details were provided about what led up to the gunfire.

What happened at Seattle Center?

Police said gunfire broke out Sunday evening at Seattle Center and that multiple people were struck. Investigators were still trying to establish the circumstances, and authorities urged the public to avoid the scene.

Seattle Center is a central arts, culture and event hub in the city. The site includes the Space Needle and several museums, and it regularly hosts public events that draw crowds.

The shooting happened on the final day of Bite of Seattle, an annual food festival that ran for three days over the weekend at Seattle Center, NBC News reported. Police and event organizers had not said whether the festival itself was connected to the shooting.

Bite of Seattle did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

The limited details released by police left key questions unanswered Sunday night, including how many people were wounded, whether anyone had been detained, and whether investigators believed there was any continuing threat to the public.

Seattle Police said detectives and officers were working to determine what happened. The department’s public message focused on keeping people away from the area while the investigation continued.

This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.