Seattle Police Department in the US state of Washington called for information from the public Wednesday after at least six people were wounded, one fatally, in a shooting in the city’s downtown.
While the gunman remains at large, the five injured were reported to be in critical condition..
According to local media, the gunfire broke out around 5 p.m. local time near Third Avenue and Pine Street–next to a Macy’s and McDonald’s. Dozens of police and ambulances responded to the area.
Homicide and gang investigators were at the scene combing through surveillance video in attempts to identify the shooter.
Seattle Police Department chief Carmen Best and SeattleFire Chief Harold Scoggins are expected to provide an update regarding the scene of violence and shooting investigation.
Few details on the violence were immediately available but television station KOMO-TV reported the incident snarled evening rush-hour traffic and quoted an office worker identified only as Bill as saying he heard gunfire and saw scores of people running for cover, Reuters reported.
“It was sheer panic,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Detectives are investigating after six people were wounded by gunfire, one fatally,” Seattle police said on Twitter.
“The suspect(s) fled the scene.”
A spokeswoman for Harborview Medical Center said that seven victims had been brought to the hospital’s emergency room. She gave no information about the patients’ conditions.
The police department said officers and medics were providing aid to victims at the scene.
KOMO-TV said a 9-year-old boy was among the wounded, and that a 55-year-old woman was critically wounded. The station reported two suspects were at large.
