A shooting has caused two deaths and at least five injuries in the Seattle Center of the American city, in the northwest of the country. Police have asked the public to stay away from the area, a central space for cultural events where a gastronomic festival was being held.
The incident occurred at six in the afternoon local time, when a crowd was gathering around the event. The vendor of one of the food stalls told the BBC that there was a huge commotion and that he suddenly heard several shots “all at the same time” and saw parents fleeing with their children towards the exit amidst the unleashed panic.
Estan Wakonabo, 25, told The Seattle Times that the festival was so crowded that it was difficult to even get close to the food stalls and that attendees were starting to step on each other. “It was pure chaos,” he says. He and his girlfriend decided to move away and returned to take photos. Then they saw several victims on the ground and a body covered by a yellow thermal blanket.
For now, the exact number of injured in the incident is unknown. The United States has registered 286 mass shootings this year in which four or more people have died or been injured, not counting the attacker, according to the Gun Violence Archive organization, Efe reports.
