Beyond Wonderland: 2 people killed in mass shooting near Washington's Gorge Amphitheatre during music festival
CNN —
Two people were killed and several others were wounded in a mass shooting at the campgrounds near Washington’s Gorge Amphitheatre during an electronic dance music festival Saturday night, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Three people were wounded, including the shooter, who was taken into custody, authorities said.
The report of the shooting came in at about 8:25 p.m. at the campgrounds near the town of George, the Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
The suspected shooter walked away from the shooting scene before officers tracked him down, according to Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kyle Foreman. The suspect shot “randomly” into the crowd as he fled and was eventually taken into custody, Foreman said.
The Gorge Amphitheatre was hosting a two-day music festival called Beyond Wonderland at the time, and the campgrounds were located several hundred yards from the venue, Foreman said.
Authorities have not provided details on the suspect, victims, the weapon used or the motive. The incident will be investigated by the Washington Office of Independent Investigation, the government branch tasked with investigating officer-involved shootings, Foreman said.
The Beyond Wonderland festival continued on Saturday night despite the shooting but put out a statement saying to avoid part of the campgrounds.
“Please avoid the Gorge Gate H campgrounds area as it is closed due to an incident that has been handled by local authorities. There is no current danger to festival goers or the campgrounds,” the festival said in a tweet Saturday night.
On Sunday morning, the festival announced the cancellation of the day’s performances.
“Due to the incident that took place in the overflow camping area last night, we regret to inform you that Day 2 of Beyond Wonderland at the Gorge has been canceled,” Beyond Wonderland said. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the local authorities and staff who acted quickly to manage the situation. Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic event.”
Saturday’s lineup featured performances from artists Dillon Francis and Flosstradamus, and Sunday’s lineup was set to feature Marshmello and Afrojack.
Source: CNN
