Photo credit: Beyond Wonderland
An active shooter situation occurred at the Beyond Wonderland music festival in Washington state. 5 people were shot and at least two people died.
At least two people were killed and several others injured in an active shooter event at the Gorge Amphitheater during the Beyond Wonderland EDM festival. Reports of the shooting began around 8:25 p.m. at campgrounds near the town of George. The suspect fled the shooting site before officers responded and tracked him down. According to observers, the shooter shot randomly into a crowd of campers as he fled. During the operation there was a shootout in which an officer was involved.
The shooting did not take place on the actual festival site, but at a campsite several hundred meters from the venue. Nevertheless, the second day of the event was canceled out of great caution. Authorities did not release any information about the suspect, the victims or the weapon used in the shooting. The suspect was shot during the confrontation with police and was hospitalized for his injuries.
“He was on the edge of the property” confirmed Kyle Foreman, Public Information Officer at the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. “Law enforcement had their eyes on him and were able to detain him in that area. He didn’t move towards the venue.”
With the campsite secured, festival organizers were quick to cancel the rest of the show. “Due to the incident that occurred at the overflow camping area last night, we regret to inform you that Day 2 of Beyond Wonderland at the Gorge has been cancelled,” read the announcement reads.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the local authorities and staff who acted quickly to deal with the situation. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the family, friends and everyone affected by this tragic event.”
The Saturday program for the festival included performances by artists Dillon Francis and Flosstradamus. Meanwhile, Sunday night’s line-up should include Marshmello and Afrojack.