15-Year-Old in Custody, Mass Shooting Kills Three at Seattle Food Festival

Three people were killed and four others were wounded after a shooting at Seattle's Bite of Seattle festival, where police say a 15-year-old suspect is now in custody and another suspect remains at large. Police believe at least three people exchanged gunfire, and detectives are now working to identify the third person believed to have taken part.

Victims included 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo, 44-year-old Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, and 56-year-old Ashley Whitehead. Four others were injured, including a 2-year-old boy who remained hospitalized, while the three other surviving victims were later released.

Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba and Ashley Whitehead were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire, while Semo was believed to have been involved in the confrontation, as reported by the Associated Press. Police said the 2-year-old was with his mother when the child was struck during the exchange.

Police believe the violence may have been gang-related and say one of the suspected gunmen was among those killed. The 15-year-old appeared in juvenile court Monday and was ordered held in detention as prosecutors decide what charges should be filed.

Officers recovered a Polymer80 ghost gun equipped with an extended 33-round magazine from the teenager taken into custody. Police also recovered a modified Glock fitted with an automatic conversion device and are examining whether it was used during the violence.

The Bite of Seattle has been a summer tradition since 1982, drawing food vendors and visitors to the Seattle Center each July. This year's celebration instead became the scene of one of the city's deadliest public tragedies in recent memory.

Assistant Police Chief Nicole Powell urged anyone who recorded the violence or witnessed the confrontation to contact Seattle police. She said even a short cellphone video could help detectives identify those involved.

A candlelight vigil at Seattle Center brought together relatives, friends, and members of the community to honor the victims. Flowers, candles, and handwritten messages surrounded the memorial as people gathered quietly in remembrance.

What began as a summer evening at the Seattle Center now leaves three lives cut short and several others recovering from their injuries. The answers to what happened next will likely come inside a courtroom rather than at the festival where the violence took place.