Police say 3 guns were recovered from the scene, including a fully automatic pistol and a ghost gun

Police say there could be more than one suspect at large after Sunday’s shooting at a Seattle food festival near the Space Needle that killed three people and injured at least four others.

A 15-year-old boy was taken into custody after the incident. Police believe he and a 19-year-old who was killed during the incident were involved in the shooting, and that there may have been others.

“We are not saying there is only one suspect,” Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes told reporters Tuesday. “It is possible there could be more.”

Authorities initially believed two people had exchanged gunfire. But in a document later filed in juvenile court, police said there may have been at least three shooters: the 15-year-old, an acquaintance who died at the scene and “at least one other unknown suspect,” according to the Associated Press.

As of Tuesday, no other suspects had been found. Police said they had interviewed all survivors and multiple witnesses and would continue to conduct more interviews.

Barnes said there are no real-time crime center cameras in the immediate area where the shooting occurred, but investigators are reviewing all available camera footage from across the area.

Investigators are still trying to narrow down a suspect description and urged anyone with information to contact the Seattle Police Department’s tip line at 206-233-5000. So far, more than 80 people have called the tip line, Barnes said.

Ghost gun among 3 firearms recovered from the scene

Three firearms, including a ghost gun, were recovered from the scene of Sunday’s shooting at the food festival, Barnes said Tuesday. He said he doesn’t believe any of them were stolen.

The ghost gun was a 9mm handgun from Polymer80 — a firearms parts company that ceased operations in 2024 — with an extended magazine capable of holding 33 rounds, he said. A ghost gun is a privately made firearm that typically lacks a serial number. There were 19 rounds still in the magazine when authorities found the gun on the 15-year-old who was taken into custody.

A second gun, which was found during the food vendor cleanup, was a 9 mm pistol with a fully automatic switch and a 40-round magazine. It had 21 rounds left in the magazine, Barnes said.

A third gun recovered at the scene — a compact 9 mm pistol with a standard magazine — had all seven rounds still in the magazine. Police believe the gun was not used in the shooting.

The 15-year-old shooting suspect is being held

A judge on Monday found probable cause to continue holding the 15-year-old arrested in connection with Sunday’s shooting in secure detention.

The teen, who was arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, waived his right to appear in court Monday afternoon, the Seattle Times reported. The teen’s next court appearance will be an arraignment, set for 9 a.m. Thursday.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, who confirmed the suspect’s detention during a news conference on Monday, said the incident may have been gang-related.

Seattle Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis said officers providing security at the event heard gunfire in the immediate area and quickly arrested one of the suspects, while the other fled. Officers then began performing CPR on several of the victims.

No outstanding threat, police say

A motive has not yet been identified. Barnes reiterated Tuesday that he does not believe the public is in danger.

Adam Lombardo, who had a Burmese food stand at the festival, described the panic of fleeing people as a “stampede.” As he gathered his equipment on Monday, he described how police escorted food vendors back to the crime scene to turn off their ovens and stoves.

“They just came to enjoy a food festival with people, with friends, with new friends, and they lost their lives in just what sounds like meaningless bloodshed,” he told the AP.

Tributes paid to victims

On Sunday, Wilson called it “an unbelievable tragedy” and “a horrific act of violence.”

“My heart right now is with the victims and their families and with everyone in our community who is reeling,” she said.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the three people who died as Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44; Ashley Whitehead, 56; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. According to police, two died at the scene and the third was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Villalba, a husband and father of three, was known for his kindness and willingness to help others, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched Monday to help his family with funeral expenses. He died from a gunshot wound to his torso, while Whitehead died from a gunshot to her pelvis and Semo died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Whitehead had just moved to Washington from Alabama a year ago and was enjoying the festival with one of her adult daughters when she was shot, her cousin Michelle Whitehead told the AP. She was taken to the hospital and died during surgery, she said.

She adored her two adult daughters and loved nature and arts and crafts, her cousin said.

“I would consider her just a free spirit. She had the best sense of humor, the best gorgeous smile,” she told the AP.

During a vigil on Monday night, Michelle Whitehead stood among dozens of others with a sign that said “Whitehead Strong” as the group held a moment of silence and raised flashlights on their phones to honor those who had been killed.

The four wounded included a 2-year-old boy, two men, ages 23 and 27, and a 39-year-old woman, all of whom were discharged, a hospital spokesperson said.

One of the victims was walking a bicycle when struck, the court document said. The toddler was with his mother.

Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said Monday that investigators are looking into whether another person suffered a gunshot wound but left the hospital before being interviewed.