Police search for third suspect, hold one in custody
Seattle held a candlelight vigil Monday evening to mourn three people killed a day earlier during what police described as a suspected gunfight at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival, as authorities said they were searching for a third suspect and had one in custody.
The shooting, which left three dead and four injured, has shaken a city where an iconic community celebration ended in violence. The two adult victims were remembered by their families as devoted parents and community members. Police said they suspect the 19-year-old victim, Junior Cee Niko Semo, may have been involved in the incident.
The victims were identified as Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19, Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, and Ashley Whitehead, 56.
A GoFundMe page for Villalba described him as “a devoted husband, loving father of three, and a loyal friend who would do anything for anyone.” The write-up said his “kindness and generosity touched countless lives, and everyone who knew him remembers his gentle spirit and willingness to help others.” The family said the funds would go toward funeral expenses.
Whitehead was standing in line with her daughter waiting for cotton candy when gunshots rang out, her family said. She died in hospital during surgery after exchanging what her family described as “heartfelt ‘I love yous’” with her eldest daughter, according to a GoFundMe page launched after her death. Whitehead was described as “a lover of life, art and family,” who had recently moved from Alabama to the West Coast to be closer to her daughter.
Online fundraisers for Villalba and Whitehead had received tens of thousands of dollars in donations by Monday.
At the vigil Monday evening, dozens of people gathered at a local fountain, laying flowers and lighting candles. A moment of silence was observed. “This is not acceptable,” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said, condemning gun violence in the community. “No father, no parent should have to bury their child.”
Police said they suspect Semo was involved in the suspected gunfight. Another suspect is in custody. A third suspect remains at large.
Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson said in a social media post Monday that the community was shocked and “struggling to make sense of how an iconic community celebration could end in gunfire.”
Sunday was the final day of the annual three-day free food festival, which draws some 350,000 people each year. The shooting left three dead and four others injured during a suspected “gunfight,” police said.