Hawaiʻi food vendor livestreaming at ‘Bite of Seattle’ when deadly shooting breaks out

A food vendor with Hawaiʻi ties was livestreaming at the “Bite of Seattle” food festival in Washington State and at first did not notice the gunshots.

But when people began running, Christopher Monterroso, a partner with Hawaiian Honey Cones, said he realized he had captured the moment the shooting erupted.

When it was over, three people were dead, two caught in the crossfire and groups shooting at each other and the third person believe to be one of the gunmen, according to the Associated Press.

Four people were wounded, including a 2-year-old boy, who was in satisfactory condition Monday, and three adults ages 23, 27 and 39, who were treated and released from a hospital, the AP reported.

Monterroso told Big Island Now on Monday that his team is grateful to be safe but is still processing the tragedy that unfolded at the Seattle Center during one of city’s largest summer events.

He said he and his crew had traveled to Seattle as part of their nationwide food tour when the shooting interrupted Monterroso’s live feed.

“We were just vending like we normally do, having a great time,” Monterroso said. “I was just streaming like I always do, doing my outro, and then just happened to catch a very unfortunate incident.”

His livestream, which has since been viewed hundreds of thousands of times and widely shared across social media, shows the confusion as festivalgoers fled the area as gunfire can be heard in the background.

Bite of Seattle, a popular food event for the past three years, is one of the busiest summer gatherings. Last year, the festival attracted 282,000 visitors, according to the Seattle Center.

Click below on the ʻWatch on YouTubeʻ link to watch Hawaiian Honey Cones’ full livestream at Bite of Seattle, including the moment the shooting occurred. The video contains explicit language.

Monterroso was ending his broadcast and asking viewers to help him reach 100,000 YouTube subscribers when the shooting began.

“I literally said, ‘I only need one more viral video,’ and then boom,” he said. “It’s a crazy coincidence.”

Rather than immediately abandoning their booth, Monterroso said he instructed his employees to seek cover behind equipment while he ensured everyone on both of the company’s booths was accounted for. He also directed workers to secure cash and valuables after witnessing people stealing merchandise from nearby booths as crowds fled.

“I know I got criticized online for telling my guys to grab the register,” he said. “But social media isn’t going to replace what’s in there. I’ve been doing events a very long time. There are a lot of decisions people don’t understand until they’re actually in that position.”

Police responded quickly, he said, estimating that dozens of officers arrived within minutes. Some vendors were ordered to evacuate immediately, leaving equipment behind.

“I know a lot of vendors got their stuff stolen after leaving,” he said. “We stayed because I felt the danger was farther away, but we were ready to leave if it came closer.”

After authorities secured the area, the team regrouped at a hotel before returning the following day, on Monday morning, to dismantle their booths.

His business has deep Hawaiʻi roots despite operating at festivals across the country.

Hawaiian Honey Cones originated at Leeward Drive-In in Waipahu on Oʻahu, where its signature honey-sweetened, J-shaped ice cream cones are produced.

The company regularly participates in events throughout Hawaiʻi and travels to food festivals nationwide, with upcoming stops in Portland, Minneapolis, Denver and later the Big Island.

The vendor said employees based in Hawaiʻi immediately contacted the Seattle crew after hearing about the shooting.

“Our Hawaiʻi guys reached out to make sure we’re safe,” he said. “You never really know what somebody’s going through in a situation like this.”

His pregnant wife, who moderates the company’s livestreams from afar, was watching in real time when the shooting occurred.

The shooting has prompted conversations within the company about whether to continue participating in large public events.

“Everyone has their own emotions, and rightfully so,” he said. “Some people might want to skip the next event, and that’s their decision. But it’s also a difficult business decision because this is how we make our living.”

Despite the tragedy, he hopes the incident does not define Seattle’s long-running festival.

“I really hope that one extremely bad incident doesn’t affect the future of Bite of Seattle,” he said. “It’s one of those events that families look forward to every year.”

He added that he hopes the shooting leads to conversations among city leaders about public safety while preserving an event that has long served as a gathering place for the community.

“Our prayers are with everybody affected,” he said. “We’re thankful our team made it home safely.”

Police believe two people were shooting at each other at the annual Bite of Seattle food festival, and a police report filed with the court on Monday stated detectives believe one of the deceased was in a gunfight with the 15-year-old. Police believe there is “at least one other unknown suspect,” according to the police report.

The teen shooter waived his presence in court on Monday.

Judge Tanya L. Thorp found probable cause for three counts of first-degree assault and one count of illegally possessing a firearm, and she ruled the teen will remain in secure detention, according to news reports.