Lead

A gunfight that erupted at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday left three people dead and at least four other wounded, sending crowds fleeing and setting off a week-long police investigation. Authorities now believe at least three shooters were involved, and a 15-year-old has been arrested and charged with assault and firearms violations.

The dead were identified by police as Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19, Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, and Ashley Whitehead, 56. Police said two of the fatalities were uninvolved bystanders. Four other people were wounded, including a two-year-old boy who was reported in satisfactory condition on Monday.

Investigation and Arrest

The 15-year-old was taken into custody at the scene. According to The Guardian, he was holding an untraceable "ghost gun" - a firearm assembled from a parts kit - and was also the owner of a Glock pistol modified with a device enabling fully automatic fire. Police recovered a third .45-caliber pistol that was not used in the offense. Both of the other weapons were fitted with large-capacity magazines.

Mayor Katie Wilson condemned the violence, saying: "We have far too much gun violence in this city and in this country." She described the shooting as "an unbelievable tragedy and a horrific act of violence." A candlelight vigil was held in the city on Monday.

Investigation Details

Law enforcement officials said the shooting appeared to be gang-related, consistent with the observation that "small groups . . . at odds with each other" account for a dispriportionate share of the city's gun violence. The police chief, Shon Barnes, noted that 0.01% of the population is connected to 52% of the shootings in Seattle.

On Wednesday, the King County prosecutor's office charged the 15-year-old with first-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm. Preliminary ballistics indicated that bullets that caused the two bystanders were not fired from his weapon. "It says and the scene points to four weapons being fired," the police said. The 19-year-old suspect died at the scene, while at least one other suspect remains at large.

Key Claims

  • Three people were killed in the shooting.
  • At least four people were wounded.
  • A 15-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene.
  • A modified machine gun and a ghost gun were recovered.
  • The shooting is suspected to be linked to gang violence.
  • Bullets that killed bystanders did not come from the 15-year-old's gun.
  • Four weapons were fired during the shooting.
  • At least three suspects were involved.

Reactions

Carlos Villalba's family described him as an affectionate husband and father of three whose sudden passing had left the family heartbroken. Ashley Young's family said she was standing in line with her daughter when the shots broke out, later dying in hospital amidst an exchange of heartfelt farewells. A candlelight vigil held on Monday drew on grief for the lives lost.