Two dead and at least five injured including 2-year-old boy in mass shooting near iconic Space Needle in Seattle as terrifying video shows panicked festivalgoers fleeing for their lives

At least two people were killed when gunfire broke out at a food festival near the Seattle Space Needle on Sunday night, sending families running for their lives.

Rapid gunfire was heard at around 6pm at Seattle Center, which was hosting the annual Bite of Seattle food festival over the weekend.

Two people were killed in the rampage, the Seattle Fire Department reported.

Five others were also treated at the scene – four of whom were then rushed to a local hospital, including a two-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man and two adult women.

One of those women is now in critical condition and is undergoing surgery at Harborview Medical Center, a spokesperson for the hospital said.

Two people were in custody in connection with the shooting, according to Seattle’s NPR news station. Their identities were not released. 

A livestreamed video from the scene showed how the festival descended into chaos.

People were seen running for their lives at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday night

People are seen running from the convention site, which was hosting a food festival

One man was being led out of the food festival in a stretcher

It started with a man from Hawaiian Honey Cones showing off his product at the food festival and asking more people to subscribe to his channel when one of his employees tells him, ‘Shooting,’ and ducks behind the counter.

‘Shooting, oh s***,’ the man taking the livestream video replied, as people, including families with young children, started running. 

What appears to be five gunshots could then be heard in the background as the live streamer encouraged others to take cover. 

Meanwhile, people could be seen breaking through a barrier trying to run away.

The video then ends with the live streamer telling his employee to grab the money and get down. 

Paul Skinner, 47, also told the Seattle Times how he had just returned from grabbing drinks for his staff at his Filipino food booth when he heard a series of loud pops.

Seattle police rushed to the scene of Seattle Center where multiple people were shot on Sunday night

Authorities shut down the food festival as the investigation into the shooting continued

Rapid gunfire was heard at the Bite of Seattle food festival at around 6pm

‘I just heard what sounded like what were some pretty loud fireworks at first,’ he recounted. 

‘Then the energy changed. Mobs of people started flooding back down. I just told our staff to get down.’ 

Kayla Carris, 22, said she was sitting outside the Armory when the shooting occurred, and people started rushing to get inside.

‘Everyone was just throwing stuff and running,’ she told the Seattle Times. ‘Like everyone.’ 

Adya Sengupta was one of those who took shelter inside the Seattle Armory.

She told KING 5 News how Seattle Fudge brought dozens of people into the storefront to shelter inside the event center.

‘Inside the Seattle Armory was crazy, within seconds maybe 60-plus people had flooded the doors inside, all running towards that back corner with Seattle Fudge,’ she said. 

Estan Wakonabo said he and his girlfriend were at the festival waiting in line for a photo booth when he was shoved from behind and he turned to see a rush of people fleeing. 

The shooting occurred near the city’s iconic Space Needle

Five victims were treated at the scene, including four who were rushed to a local hospital 

Bite of Seattle is one of the city’s largest festivals, drawing tens of thousands of people

‘People were hiding, were pushing, people were falling on the ground, baby strollers were falling,’ Wakonabo said, adding that was when he heard gunshots.

‘Once I heard a “pop, pop, pop,” that´s when I knew it was a shooter,’ he said.

After he escorted his girlfriend to safety, he returned to the scene to make photos and saw multiple victims on the ground, Wakonabo said.

Todd Behrends, 59, also told how he saw people jumping and running over others to get away.

One woman fell in the chaos, he said, and someone stepped on her leg.

When Behrends then ran out the exit, he said he saw a woman on the ground and a man in a stretcher. 

Police have now locked down the area as the investigation continues and the FBI responds to the scene.

In the meantime, the Monorail has been shut down for the rest of the night.

The annual festival started in 1982 and draws 350,000 attendees over ‘three days of food, drink, and community celebration,’ according to its website.