Key facts
- A shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday, July 26, 2026, resulted in three deaths and four injuries.
- Among the injured was a two-year-old boy.
- Seattle police believe at least three shooters were involved in the incident.
- Investigators suspect the shooting was gang-related, involving two groups firing at each other.
- A 19-year-old, identified as one of the shooters, was among the deceased.
- A 15-year-old suspect has been arrested and is in juvenile detention.
Seattle police are investigating a shooting that occurred during the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday, July 26, 2026, which resulted in three fatalities and four injuries, including a two-year-old boy. Authorities believe at least three shooters were involved and that the incident may have been gang-related, with two groups exchanging gunfire near the Space Needle.
Assistant Chief of Investigations Nicole Powell stated that investigators believe the shooting involved two groups firing at each other. The deceased shooter was identified as 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo. A 15-year-old suspect, believed to be one of the shooters, has been arrested and ordered held in juvenile detention for firearms violations and assault.
The King County prosecutor's office is expected to review the case for charging decisions. The gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. local time on Sunday, during the final hours of the annual festival. Officials defended their communication strategy, citing the chaotic nature of the event and their commitment to providing accurate information.
The deceased victims were identified by the King County Medical Examiner's Office as Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44; Ashley Whitehead, 56; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. The four injured individuals, including the toddler, two men aged 23 and 27, and a 39-year-old woman, were treated and released from the hospital.