Three named as dead after shooting at Seattle food festival; toll figures conflict
The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified three people killed in the July 26 shooting at the Bite of Seattle, where police say a 15-year-old is in custody and other suspects remain possible.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 8, 2026, 12:19 a.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 8, 2026, 12:19 a.m. ETFirst report
Two to three killed in shooting at Seattle food festival; teenager held
A shooting on July 26, 2026, at a Seattle food festival left between two and three people dead and between four and five injured, according to conflicting figures attributed to police in reports by Yahoo News. Police were cited as the source for the counts, which remain subject to revision.
Sources describe the location differently: reporting carried by Yahoo News places the shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival, and separately at Seattle Center, the festival site near the Space Needle. The crowd was there for the food festival, attended by festival-goers and food vendors. The Seattle Police Department, Seattle Fire Department and the King County Medical Examiner's Office responded or are involved in the case. Police have said the incident is no longer active.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office released the names of three people: Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44; Ashley Whitehead, 56; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. "My heart right now is with the victims and their families and with everyone in our community who is reeling," Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said.
A 15-year-old arrested in connection with the shooting is in custody. A judge on Monday found probable cause to continue holding the teenager in secure detention, and an arraignment is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, according to the Seattle Times. Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said the department has not narrowed the case to a single person: "We are not saying there is only one suspect," he said, adding, "It is possible there could be more." No cause or motive has been determined, and the investigation remains open.
Anyone with information can contact the Seattle Police Department's tip line at 206-233-5000.
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Sources
- Seattle shooting leaves 2 dead, 5 wounded at food festivaleconomictimes.indiatimes.com
- At least two dead, five injured in Seattle shootingyahoo.com
- Seattle shooting latest: Police say 3 guns were recovered from the scene, including a fully automatic pistol and a ghost gunyahoo.com
- Seattle police chief snaps over Chicago home questions, absence from city after mass shootingfoxnews.com
- Socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson FIRES Police Chief Shon Barnes Days After He Went Missing in Action During Deadly Bite of Seattle Festival Mass Shooting * The Gateway Pundit * by Jim Hᴏftthegatewaypundit.com
- Seattle police chief Shon Barnes fired after bungled response to food festival mass shooting: reportsnypost.com
- Seattle's woke mayor sparks fury for firing black police chiefdailymail.com
- Council presses Seattle interim chief for update on Bite of Seattle shooting investigationkomonews.com
- Interim police chief addresses city council 2 weeks after Seattle Center shootingkomonews.com
- Interim police chief to address Bite of Seattle shooting response at city council komonews.com
- Seattle police chief to brief council on Bite of Seattle shooting as mayor orders reviewfox13seattle.com
- Seattle councilmember shares view of what happened during Bite of Seattle shootingfox13seattle.com
- Friends gathered to ‘clear the air’ before Bite of Seattle shooting, court records showkuow.org
- Seattle mayor orders probe into 'flow of information' following Seattle Center shootingkuow.org
Revision history
- Version 29 Aug 2026, 01:52current
Added the approximate 6 p.m. start and evacuation, the police instruction to avoid the area, the festival's scale and history, a second sourced casualty count from a city fire department spokesperson, and the fact that the incident is no longer active.
- Version 18 Aug 2026, 04:19current
First published.
- Version 18 Aug 2026, 04:25
First published.
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