08/08/2026
Life after the Bite of Seattle Shooting ❤️🩹
Hi, I’m Brittany Hess, owner of Dos Casas Thrift. I wanted to share a quick update on how I’ve been doing since the Bite of Seattle.
First, thank you. ❤️
To everyone who has checked in, visited my shop, sent love, or simply asked how I’m doing — it truly means so much.
I still think about that day every day. I’ve had nightmares, and I experience markets differently now. Loud noises still startle me, and I’m more aware of exits and safety than I used to be.
But I’ve also seen so much care from the vendor and event community — organizers talking openly about what happened, gathering vendors together to acknowledge it, sharing emergency plans, and taking extra precautions like increased security at events. Seeing that level of awareness and effort to protect people really matters, and it’s been comforting to know the community is actively trying to do better and keep each other safe.
I notice police officers more. I notice security guards. I look for exits. I think about where I would go and what I would do if something happened. My exit strategy is almost always somewhere in the back of my mind.
I’m still healing, and I know I need to work with a trauma professional, which I’m actively working on.
But I’m also okay. I’m grateful. I still love what I do, and I feel lucky to be here.
At the end of this video you can see black storage boxes with yellow lids, those are the boxes I used to climb the wall and escape into that construction zone. That moment still feels surreal, and honestly, that space may have saved my life.
It was one of the scariest days of my life. I’m still healing. But I’m here. ❤️
Thank you for the love and support.
— Brittany Hess
Dos Casas Thrift
