1 killed, 1 wounded in bar shooting near Seattle
By Associated Press
Dec 24, 2012 6:11 PM CST
Private security officers and a mall official stand adjacent to the Munchbar Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, in Bellevue, Wash. A 30-year-old Seattle man was killed and another man wounded in a shooting at the crowded bar earlier in the morning, police said. AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)   (Associated Press)

A 30-year-old Seattle man was killed and another man wounded in a shooting at a crowded suburban bar early Monday, police said.

The shooting broke out just after 1 a.m. at Munchbar at Bellevue Square, an upscale shopping center about 10 miles east of Seattle, said Carla Iafrate, a spokeswoman for the Bellevue Police Department.

Police officers were outside the bar when gunfire erupted because a large crowd had gathered there, she said.

More than 600 people were inside the venue at the time of the shooting. "It was a very complicated scene," Iafrate said.

The wounded man was taken to Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue. Iafrate did not immediately know his age, hometown or condition.

The shooting appears to be an isolated incident. "There was some type of altercation," before the shooting happened, she said. No one has been arrested, and investigators were trying to put together a description of the shooter, she said.

No officers were involved in the shooting.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said several players were at Munchbar following the team's Sunday night victory over the San Francisco 49ers, but none were injured.

"From what we know our guys were in a separate area and nobody was involved at all," Carroll said during a Monday news conference. "It was an awful thing that happened."

Witnesses described a chaotic scene, telling local media they dove for cover or hit the floor when they heard gunshots.

The shopping center opened Monday morning as normal, Iafrate said, adding that the shooting had minimal impact on overall operations.

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