The gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. in the waning hours of the Bite of Seattle, an annual festival that draws hundreds of food and retail vendors and performers. Police were investigating the shooting and urged people to avoid the area just northwest of downtown, AP reported.
Mayor Katie Wilson said police had taken one person into custody. The Seattle Police Department did not comment on any arrests but planned to hold a press conference Sunday night.
Two people died at the scene, said Grace Nunez, spokesperson for the Seattle Fire Department.
Five patients were transported to Harborview Medical Center, including a 56-year-old woman in serious condition, Nunez said.
A 2-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman are in stable condition, while a 40-year-old woman had minor injuries, she said.
Hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said the victims suffered injuries to the arm, abdomen or legs.
A large number of police and emergency crews responded and began evacuating the area around the sprawling Seattle Center events campus. Authorities have not said where exactly the shooting occurred at the event, which had outdoor and indoor areas.
MNA