1 dead, at least 5 injured in downtown Seattle shooting, suspect at large

At least one person was killed and five others were injured in a shooting Wednesday evening near Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle.

Police are searching for a suspect who fled the scene at Third Avenue and Pine Street, an area with heavy foot traffic and an influx of tourists. The violence appears to have been carried out by a lone gunman, who has been described only as a male, the police chief said.

Witnesses reported hearing a dozen or more gunshots about 5 p.m.

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“We’ve locked down the scene,” Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said. “This is not an active shooting at this point, but we are collecting evidence and information.”

The chief said police were in the area at the time of the shooting and found victims in a one-block radius.

One victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and five others were transported to hospitals, Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said.

The wounded range in age from 9 years old to 55 years old, and one is in critical condition, the Fire Department said.

A 55-year-old woman is in critical condition, and a 9-year-old boy is in serious condition, according to fire officials. Three others — a 35-year-old man, a 34-year-old man and a 21-year-old man — were described as stable.

Harborview Medical Center, a Level I trauma facility managed by the University of Washington, said that it received seven patients from the incident. One female was critical, one male is serious and five other males were in satisfactory condition, according to a spokeswoman. They were treated for injuries to the areas of the legs, buttocks, chest and abdomen.

A nurse who was witness to the shooting told NBC affiliate KING of Seattle that she heard the gunfire and rushed to help one of the victims. She was not identified by the station.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life,” she said.

source: nbcnews.com