Two people are dead and three were injured after a shooting occurred at the campground site of the Beyond Wonderland Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in rural Washington. A suspect has been taken into custody, and according to Variety, is named as one of the people who sustained injuries.
According to multiple reports, the shooting took place Saturday night (June 17) around 8:30 p.m. local time. The campgrounds are about a 20- to 30-minute walk from the main festival site. Artists performing at the festival included Marshmello, Afrojack, Dillion Francis, Joyryde, and others.
NBC News reported that the suspect was shooting “randomly into the crowd” at the campground, citing statements from Kyle Foreman, a Grant County Sheriff’s Office public information officer, who spoke during a press conference late Saturday night.
“The shooter then walked away from where the incident happened,” Foreman added. He also said that the suspect continued to open fire until he was taken into custody. No motive has yet been released.
On Sunday morning, Beyond Wonderland released a statement on social media saying that the festival’s second day has been canceled. “We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the local authorities and staff who acted quickly to manage the situation.”
Last weekend, the Gorge Amphitheater was the site of the Brandi Carlile-hosted Joni Jam concert, which brought folk legend Joni Mitchell back to the stage for her first headline performance in 20 years.
— Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge (@BeyondWlandPNW) June 18, 2023
