At least 1 dead, 6 injured after shooting in Seattle: Police

ByKARMA ALLEN ABCNews logo
Thursday, January 23, 2020

Authorities in Seattle are searching for suspects after one person was gunned down and at least six others were wounded outside a McDonald's on Wednesday evening

More than a dozen police cruisers and ambulances responded to the scene in downtown Seattle at around 5 p.m. local time amid reports of shots fired and multiple victims down. One woman was pronounced dead at the scene, while six others were transported to the nearby Harborview Medical Center with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening, according to the Seattle Police Department.

The victims suffered injuries to the legs, abdomen and buttocks. Among the wounded was a 55-year-old woman in critical condition who had to undergo surgery and a 9-year-old boy in serious condition, according to a spokesperson for Harborview Medical Center, who said a total of seven victims from the incident were admitted. One patient was treated and released.

It's unclear why there was a discrepancy between police and the hospital in the number of injured, but police said someone may have transported themselves.

Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said the deadly shooting was "not a random incident" and had stemmed from a dispute outside the McDonald's at 3rd Avenue and Pine Street, just blocks from the famous Pike Place Fish Market. Witnesses told detectives that two or more male suspects were in an argument and began shooting at each other. The suspects fled the scene immediately after.

Authorities are searching for "multiple" suspects, according to Best, who didn't specify how many.

"Even one incident of gun violence is one too many," the police chief told reporters at a press conference Wednesday night. "We will relentlessly investigate tonight's shooting at 3rd and Pine until all those responsible are brought to justice."

A law enforcement source briefed on the investigation told ABC News that the motive for the shooting was possibly gang-related. Best confirmed that gang units were on the scene at the time but would not expressly say the shooting was gang-related.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was assisting the Seattle Police Department in the investigation.

ABC News' Marilyn Heck, Josh Margolin, Alex Stone and Jim Vojtech contributed to this report.

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