Beloved mother's final moments revealed as all three Seattle mass shooting victims identified
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: Ashley Whitehead, the 56-year-old mother who was critically wounded in the mass shooting at Seattle's Bite of Seattle food festival, has died after undergoing emergency surgery, as her devastated family shared details of her heartbreaking final moments.
Authorities have also identified the other two people killed in the shooting as Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, and 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo, who investigators say was one of the gunmen involved in the attack.
Ashley Whitehead's family shares final moments
Whitehead, a beloved mother of two daughters, had recently moved from Alabama to Washington to be closer to her eldest daughter, Zoie.
According to a GoFundMe campaign created for her family, she was waiting in line for cotton candy with Zoie and her future son-in-law, Ben, while attending the Bite of Seattle festival when gunfire erupted.
According to KOMO News, she was struck in the pelvis and rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where she survived long enough to exchange heartfelt "I love you" with Zoie before undergoing emergency surgery.
Despite doctors' efforts, the 56-year-old died during the operation.
The fundraiser described Whitehead as a "lover of life, art and family." Her younger daughter, Celeste, lives in Virginia.
The tragedy marked a second devastating loss for Zoie. According to the fundraiser, she lost her partner of seven years, Michael, to heart failure in 2018.
Organizers said the funds raised will help Zoie and Ben cover bereavement expenses and support the family as they cope with Whitehead's death and the trauma of the mass shooting.
"We are reaching out to the community for help. Any support you can offer, whether through donations or sharing this fundraiser, will make a meaningful difference for Zoie and Ben as they navigate the aftermath of Ashley's passing and the trauma of the mass shooting," the fundraiser states.
Seattle shooting victims identified, gunman among dead
Authorities identified another victim as Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, who suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the torso and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The third person killed was identified as 19-year-old Junior Cee Niko Semo.
Court documents state that detectives believe Semo was one of the shooters and exchanged gunfire with a 15-year-old suspect during the incident.
Semo sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. His death, like those of Whitehead and Villalba, was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
Four other people were injured in the shooting, including a 2-year-old boy who remained in satisfactory condition at Harborview Medical Center on Monday. The remaining injured victims, a 39-year-old woman, a 23-year-old man, and a 27-year-old man, have been released from the hospital.
Police arrest teen, hunt second Seattle shooting suspect
Seattle police have arrested a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of first-degree assault and firearms violations in connection with the shooting. The teenager waived his initial court appearance on Monday, July 27.
Investigators believe at least one additional suspect also opened fire during the incident and remains at large.
The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the remaining suspect, while detectives continue reviewing evidence and pursuing leads in the investigation.
