Daijiworld Media Network – Seattle

Seattle, Jul 27: Multiple people were injured in a shooting at Seattle's annual Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday night, triggering panic among festival-goers and prompting authorities to cordon off the area near the city's iconic Space Needle.

The shooting took place at the Seattle Center, a major public venue that was hosting the popular food festival, which featured hundreds of local vendors and live music performances over the weekend.

Seattle police confirmed the incident in a brief statement posted on X, saying multiple people had been shot. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area as emergency responders secured the scene and launched an investigation.

"More information to come. Please avoid the area," the police said.

Harborview Medical Center confirmed that it was receiving patients injured in the shooting. However, officials did not immediately disclose the number of victims or provide details on the severity of their injuries.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic following the gunfire. Two people attending the festival told local broadcaster KOMO that they heard between seven and eight gunshots inside the venue.

According to the witnesses, festival-goers immediately began running in different directions in an attempt to escape, creating chaos at the crowded event.

Following reports of the shooting, the Seattle Center Monorail suspended operations for the remainder of the day. Authorities said the service would resume on Monday morning.

The Bite of Seattle is one of the city's largest annual public events, attracting thousands of visitors each year with food stalls, entertainment and cultural programmes.

Police have not yet revealed whether any suspects have been detained or identified a possible motive for the shooting. The exact number of people injured also remains unknown.

Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, and further details are expected as the inquiry progresses.