In the wake of the deadly shooting on Sunday, locals have returned to Seattle Center this week to mourn.
Thousands were at the food festival Bite of Seattle when a gunfight broke out, leaving three people dead. Multiple people were injured, including a 2-year-old boy.
On Monday, dozens attended a community-led candle light vigil at the International Fountain, near where the shooting occurred.
Ikaika Corpus was at the festival with his partner, Ethan Jaech, when the shooting began. He said it broke his heart: “I’m still trying to process everything, wrap everything around my head, cause seeing it up close and in person, it kind of shocked me and hurts me in a way."
“We ran across 5th Avenue North and found some people and hid out in a parking garage that’s just right there on the corner," Jaech said.
At least two teenagers are believed to have been involved. Seattle police arrested a 15-year-old suspect and say a 19-year-old who was killed may have been involved in the shooting.
Investigators said the shooting may have been gang-related and are now searching for another suspect.
Local leaders joined dozens of community members at Seattle Center for the Monday vigil. The names of those who were killed were read aloud to the crowd: Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba. Ashley Whitehead. Junior Cee Niko Semo.
Since the shooting, Jaech said he has had trouble sleeping.
“I can’t help but wonder if yesterday, when we were walking at this corner, about two minutes before it happened, I just coincidentally met eyes with one of the people who’s not with us anymore," he said.
Jaech said he couldn't imagine what their loved ones are going through right now and hoped they find peace.
Zebby Day, who lives nearby, said she was torn up and felt helpless after the shooting.
“Too many guns and a 15-year-old child who was shooting people," she said. "Sometimes it just seems like there’s no solution.”
The public leaves messages to shooting victims at silent vigil
Seattle Center held its own vigil on Wednesday evening at the International Fountain.
People signed two white crosses for two of the people killed, Ashley Whitehead and Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba. Messages written out to those who lost their lives and to the injured were strung on makeshift lattice fences for others to read and take in.
One note read, “I’m so sorry this happened.” Another said, “May you rest in peace.”
“I was here when it happened, so I just wanted to get some closure,” said Beck Villa, who attended the vigil on Wednesday. She was at Bite of Seattle when gunshots broke out near the Armory, sending thousands of people fleeing the area.
“I was on the other side of the building. I had to run with everyone else, and it was horrible. I just hope everyone sticks together and really supports each other,” Villa said, tears rolling down her face.
Michelle Whitehead attended both vigils. She is the cousin of Ashley Whitehead, one of the people killed.
“We are grieving with the community, and we really grieve for the other people whose lives were lost, and for people who were injured,” Whitehead said. “That 2-year-old child, I can't get him out of my mind, and for the father of three children and a wife. And then the 19-year-old kid, you know, he might have been caught up in this, but no one deserves to leave this earth like this.”
Former Seattle Police Chief, Shon Barnes attended both memorials. At Wednesday’s event he walked up to the fence fluttering with heartfelt messages and laid a bouquet of red gladiolus at the base.
