2 dead, suspect detained in shooting at Gorge Amphitheatre campground, sheriff says
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on June 19, 2023
(GEORGE, Wa.) — A suspect was detained after at least two people were killed during an “active shooter” situation at a campground near the Gorge Amphitheatre on Saturday in Washington, the sheriff said.
“Officers pursued, closed in on the suspect, and have the suspect in custody. Multiple individuals have suffered gunshot wounds,” the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post at about 10:50 p.m.
Three others, including the alleged shooter, were injured, said Kyle Foreman, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
The suspect opened fire at about 8:20 p.m. in an area about 100 yards away from the venue, Foreman said during a press briefing.
After the alleged shooter “walked away,” law enforcement officials arrived and tracked the suspect down, Foreman said. The suspect “continued to shoot randomly into the crowd” before being taken into custody, he said.
The sheriff had earlier posted that there was an “active shooter at Gorge Amphitheatre,” adding, “If at the Gorge, seek cover. Run, hide or fight suspect.”
The open-air venue, which can host up to 27,500 people, was scheduled on Saturday to host Beyond Wonderland, an electronic dance festival.
“Please avoid the Gorge Gate H campgrounds area as it is closed due to an incident that has been handled by local authorities,” Beyond Wonderland said on Twitter. “There is no current danger to festival-goers or the campgrounds.”
Promoters of the electronic dance festival announced Sunday morning that the second day of the festival has been canceled “due to the incident that took place in the overflow camping area.”
“We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the local authorities and staff who acted quickly and managed the situation,” the promoters said in a statement. “Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic event.”
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio and Amanda Morris contributed to this story.
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