Three people have been killed and at least four injured – including a toddler – in a mass shooting at a food festival in the United States.

Witnesses reported hearing a “barrage of gunshots” around 6pm (local time) at the Bite of Seattle event, with one of the thousands of attendees telling the Seattle Times: “It was just pure chaos.”

Authorities said two people died at the scene. Four others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds, including one who was in a critical condition and later died.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, who described the shooting as an “act of horrific violence”, said in a statement that a person had been taken into custody.

Police later said they believed two people were shooting at each other, stating that one suspect was still at large.

Police are investigating a shooting. Multiple shooting victims. Shots fired at the Seattle Center. More information to come. Please avoid the area.

— Seattle Police Department (@SeattlePD) July 27, 2026

Bite of Seattle, held at the Seattle Centre, is described as one of the city’s oldest and largest festivals, with last year’s event attracting more than 280,000 people over several days.

“Impacted families are living through the worst moment of their lives, and an entire community is trying to understand how a gathering built around culture, connection, and joy ended in gunfire,” Wilson said.

“Tonight, our attention belongs to the people whose lives were taken, those fighting to recover, and the families beside them.

“Seattle grieves with you, and we will stand with you in the difficult days ahead.”

Some of those close to the shooting sought shelter in nearby landmark the Space Needle, which soars 184 metres above the city, according to reports.

One food vendor at the festival told the Seattle Times that at first the gunshots sounded like “pretty loud fireworks”.

“Then, the energy changed. Mobs of people started flooding back down. I just told our staff to get down.”

Another stall holder told the newspaper how he helped a woman whose leg was bleeding from an apparent gunshot.

“I grabbed a T-shirt and wrapped her leg and just put pressure on it,” Dominique Campbell said.

“She was in shock, she didn’t know she got shot,” Campbell said. “She kept asking what happened.”