By Hannah Saunders
Three people are dead and four more are recovering from injuries, including a two-year-old toddler, following a July 26 shooting at the Seattle Center’s Bite of Seattle event. TtS previously reported on how Bite of Seattle was active on its Instagram account the day of the shooting to promote various activities and eats, but did not issue any updates or warnings informing the community that the event area was closed off and unsafe. Now, over 24 hours after the shooting that has gripped the city and nation, Bite of Seattle issued a statement claiming it is focused on supporting impacted families.
“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 said.
“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.”
But Instagram users expressed their disappointment, asking Bite of Seattle why it took so long to issue a statement, with one even noting how the message reads as a public relations stunt, rather than a genuine message to a grieving community. Others questioned why there was such a lack of security measures, including security guards, checkpoints, and bag rules.
“Waiting more than 24 hours to release a statement is insane. i don’t care what the reason is— thousands of people had their lives impacted for the worse under the administration of this event. multiple streamers and vendors and the public alike expressed how little security there was, how they saw cops just moseying around. bite of seattle stayed silent while we were all left to check on our people and deal with the aftermath,” user Dhanya_Ds said.
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