SEATTLE — The company that owns the Bite of Seattle, FoodieLand, released a statement late Monday night regarding a mass shooting that marred the food festival on Sunday.
The statement was posted on Instagram approximately 30 hours after the incident.
Three people were killed, including the shooter, and four others were injured when multiple people opened fire. Officials believe the shooters were targeting each other.
The shooting at the Seattle Center prompted concerns from vendors and the public about safety and the event organizers’ communication.
FoodieLand, a California-based company, acknowledged the “tragic incident that took place Sunday evening” in its statement posted on Instagram and a graphic overlay that briefly appears on the Bite of Seattle website.
The statement reads:
“We are devastated by the tragic incident that took place Sunday evening, during which an act of violence took the lives of members of the Seattle community. Together we mourn the victims and extend our deepest condolences to their families and all those affected.
Bite of Seattle has always been a gathering place rooted in food and connection. Today, we stand in solidarity with everyone grieving this tragedy. Our hearts remain with everyone impacted.
Our focus is on supporting those affected and working closely with authorities during this difficult time. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they continue their investigation."
Despite the statement, some vendors that reached out to KIRO 7 both Monday and Tuesday reported receiving little to no communication directly from the event organizers.
KIRO 7’s Ranji Sinha has been attempting to reach FoodieLand for the past two days, but has not received an official response, statement, interview or press release outside of what was posted publicly on Instagram.
“It’s not supposed to be like this. It’s where children come, where grandparents come; it’s where I raised my daughter,” said Randy Engstrom, the executive director of Seattle Center during a vigil on Monday.
Public reaction to Foodieland’s Instagram post varied.
One commenter said: “This response honestly feels really disappointing. It reads more like a standard PR statement than a message to a community that’s grieving.”
Another said: “Do better next year. This should never (have) happened. Make checkpoints, increase security…”
Some social media users also voiced concerns about security at the event. One comment read, “…they had no security walking around or anything. They definitely need to spend some money on security.”
Bear Balentine, a Federal Way resident who visited a memorial at Seattle Center on Tuesday morning, emphasized the need for safety when attending a broad community event at one of Seattle’s premier and most famous event spaces in Seattle Center.
“It’s food! What’s more safe than food, right!?” Balentine said. “The only way we can move forward as a community is to find ways to prevent this from ever happening again. For us to stand up and say this isn’t ok. It’s not ok for us to be in fear when we’re in a fun public space.”
While most vendors reported a lack of communication, one vendor stated they received a text message pointing them to mental health services if needed.
West Seattle attorney Eric Harrison discussed potential legal implications for vendors regarding the event.
“I don’t have the written contract that they signed with the event organizer; absolutely, there could be a legal avenue against the food organizer,” Harrison said.
He indicated that while legal action is technically possible, he downplayed whether that would truly be the result for many vendors. He stressed that contracts were signed and that any true legal action or claims would depend on the specific contract details, including provisions for security and communication.
Harrison noted that some contracts specify timelines for response while others do not.