Barely six weeks after a deadly mass shooting during the Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center, tens of thousands are packing those same grounds for B
Barely six weeks after a deadly mass shooting during the Bite of Seattle food festival at Seattle Center, tens of thousands are packing those same grounds for Bumbershoot's 53rd annual arts and music festival.
Ahead of the two-day event, Mayor Katie Wilson and Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles announced updated public safety protocols in the wake of the shooting and intense scrutiny over the handling of information following it.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Police boost visible presence at Bumbershoot after Bite of Seattle mass shooting
Sayles confirmed in an interview with KOMO News that he had filled an executive director of communications role, which would strengthen internal communication between the police department and the mayor's office. Sayles also vowed to provide a press briefing to the media within an hour of future significant incidents, when it is safe and possible to do so, and periodically update information on Seattle police's social media accounts.
Both Sayles and Wilson also committed to utilizing the AlertSeattle messaging system during public safety incidents, a tool not used on the night of the July mass shooting.
As crowds returned to the scene of the deadly shooting for Bumbershoot, it is important to note the large differences in security measures used at the festivals.
Unlike Bite of Seattle, Bumbershoot is a fully ticketed event. Large fences secure its perimeter on Seattle Center grounds, and all attendees and staff are screened by metal detectors before entering, according to event organizers.
"I think they've taken their time to figure things out, and I think I feel pretty secure," said Fareed Faghih, a returning festival attendee. "They're going to check everything, so I feel pretty safe about that."
The festival also utilizes third-party security, and the Seattle Police Department (SPD) confirmed people attending Bumbershoot would see a "high-visibility presence" of uniformed officers on and around Seattle Center.
Some people, however, remained hesitant to return to Seattle Center for a festival that draws massive crowds.
"Knowing that there were three people who did not leave alive that day [Bite of Seattle shooting], was really horrifying," said Noa Resnikoff of Seattle. "I'm not just worried about my own safety, but the safety of all these other people, and the safety of those who want to continue going to events like this."
Still, Resnikoff and thousands of others did attend Bumbershoot to celebrate the unofficial end of summer over Labor Day weekend, with the hope that the city was better prepared should an emergency situation arise.
KOMO News has reached out to SPD asking if officers responded to any incidents tied to the festival on Saturday. Early Sunday morning, two people were shot and killed and several others injured in two separate incidents near Seattle Center, but these were not connected to Bumbershoot.
