Texts released Wednesday show Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office and Seattle leaders coordinated calls and discussed a public briefing after the July 26 Bite of Seattle
Texts released Wednesday show Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office and Seattle leaders coordinated calls and discussed a public briefing after the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting.
In a text message to U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ferguson said he had the same information as Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and was in Olympia preparing to head north.
Jayapal replied that she had suggested Wilson bring elected leaders together for a call with the police chief.
Texts released on Sept. 30 show Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office and Seattle leaders coordinated calls and discussed a public briefing after the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting. (KOMO News)Jayapal later told Ferguson that if the city held a public conference, “it would be good if we are all there.” Ferguson responded, “Agree.”
The messages also show the two discussing whether to go to Seattle Center later that night. Just after 10 p.m., Jayapal wrote, “I’m wondering if we should be there. I’m not confident she knows what she is doing.”
Ferguson replied that he had spoken with Wilson and asked her to call Jayapal directly.
Jayapal then wrote, “They’re waiting for both of us,” followed by, “I will be there in 15 minutes.” It is not clear from the messages who Jayapal meant by “they” or whether the text referred specifically to the city’s eventual media briefing.
Other messages between Ferguson and Wilson show the mayor told the governor at 7:41 p.m. that the city was putting together a conference call and would “most likely” hold a public conference later that night. Ferguson replied that he could be at Seattle Center by 9 p.m.
Ferguson’s office has said Seattle police and other city officials told the governor during calls that Seattle Center remained an active scene and that elected officials should not go there.
The office said Ferguson learned shortly after 10 p.m. that Wilson was holding a media availability, then traveled to Seattle Center. The news conference began at 11 p.m.
The texts echo what Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis, who was in charge at the scene that night, told the Seattle City Council last week.
Davis said police were told to wait for a news conference and pointed to the mayor’s office as the source of the delay.
“What happened that day was tough. We were ready to go. I was gonna really walk down there and handle it. I did talk to the deputy mayor, just kind of let them know as a courtesy, we’re gonna go down and conduct the interview. And then I was told we needed to wait for the mayor,” Davis said.
The newly released texts do not explain the entire five-hour delay, but they add another piece to the question of why the final briefing did not begin until nearly 11 p.m.
Earlier messages raised questions about public updates
An earlier batch of messages released by the mayor’s office showed city officials struggling to coordinate public information as people waited to learn whether additional gunmen were still at large.
The records showed Mayor Katie Wilson’s communications staff knew by 7:20 p.m. about the number of victims and deaths, as well as who was in custody and how many additional suspects police were seeking. That information was not publicly released for hours.
The messages also showed a city official asked police to delay a planned 9:45 p.m. briefing until Wilson could arrive. The news conference ultimately began near 11 p.m.
Police texts showed uncertainty over command
A separate batch of Seattle Police Department messages released in September showed internal uncertainty over who was leading the response in the shooting’s aftermath.
Then-Police Chief Shon Barnes, who was out of town, wrote that he did not know who was in charge and that someone needed to “assume command” and follow active-shooter protocols. Early messages also included incomplete information, including an initial report that two suspects were in custody.
Bite of Seattle shooting background
The shooting happened Sunday, July 26, at about 6 p.m. outside the Seattle Center Armory during the Bite of Seattle festival.
Seven people were struck by gunfire. The three people killed were Ashley Whitehead, 56; Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44; and Junior Cee Niko Semo, 19. Four others, including a toddler, were hospitalized.
Police said a 15-year-old was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting. Investigators believe Semo was associated with the teen, while Whitehead and Sanchez Villalba were innocent victims.
Detectives have said they are still looking for other people involved.
Congresswoman Jayapal released a statement about the text messages early Thursday:
In my ten years in Congress, I’ve had to respond to many difficult moments and have learned the best way is to immediately brief the public quickly and transparently, convene elected officials across all levels of government to ensure availability of any federal resources needed, and be visibly present to offer support and information to our constituents who rely on us to be there for them. My text messages with the Governor reflect exactly this approach.
As I have stated, I was on briefing calls with the Mayor at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM from my home on Sunday evening immediately following the shooting. On those calls, we were advised that elected officials should stay away from the active investigation scene at Seattle Center and that a public press conference would be happening the next morning. I also believed from those calls that SPD was regularly briefing the public. At 10:10 PM on Sunday night, I was notified of a press conference at the Seattle Center and immediately proceeded there, arriving at approximately 10:40 PM. I spoke to the Mayor on my way to the Seattle Center, and she told me they were awaiting our arrival. Any delay in waiting for the Governor and I to arrive was about a matter of minutes, not hours.
My messages also reflected my serious concerns that no information had been shared with the public prior to this press conference. I appreciate that Mayor Wilson herself has noted this lack of communication with the public was unacceptable, held regular briefings in the following days and undertaken an independent after-action review to ensure this never happens again. The most important thing for the residents of our City is to ensure we are prepared for any similar tragic event in the future, to immediately find the suspects in this and other shootings, and to invest in strategies that end all gun violence across our city and country. At the federal level, I intend to do everything I can to support those goals.
