Two dead, arrest after shooting at Seattle food festival

Two people have been killed and at least four others wounded, including a child, in a mass shooting near the Space Needle landmark in Seattle last night, according to US media and a local hospital.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said one suspect has been taken into custody following the incident, which happened around 6pm local time (2am Irish time) in a popular tourist district in the northwestern US city. Ms Wilson had initially said two were in custody.

Fire department officials confirmed that two people died, according to NBC News and CNN.

Seattle police said there were "multiple shooting victims" near the Space Needle observation tower.

"Shots fired at the Seattle Center," police said in an X post.

Police are expected to hold a news conference soon.

Ms Wilson said in a statement that she wanted to "thank the Seattle police officers who responded to the scene and took a suspect into custody."

Four patients were being treated at the trauma center facility at Harborview Medical Center, according to spokesperson Susan Gregg: a child, a woman of unknown age who was in surgery, a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman.

"There was information at the scene, they weren't sure if there was more than one shooter," Ms Gregg said, saying police would provide more details.

The shooting took place during the 'Bite of Seattle' summer festival celebrating local businesses and food vendors.

A Seattle Times reporter heard several loud pops and what sounded like very rapid gunfire.