More than two weeks after the deadly mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle, some Seattle City Council members say they still don’t have clear answers from police
More than two weeks after the deadly mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle, some Seattle City Council members say they still don’t have clear answers from police or the mayor’s office about how the city responded — including whether a suspect remains at large and why the public went hours without information.
“I think there are many pending questions from members of the public. Is there a potential killer or person of interest still around? Are they a danger to the public or not?” asked Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka.
The questions come 17 days after the shooting at Seattle Center and a day after a heated Public Safety Committee meeting, where council members pressed Interim Chief Andre Sayles about the status of the investigation and the city’s communications that night.
Saka said Sayles could not say yes or no when asked whether a killer is on the loose. Saka said he plans to meet with Sayles one-on-one.
“I will say this. I know the interim chief is going through a lot right now. And quickly ramping up and getting up to speed on a lot. I still have not yet in. Tomorrow I’m going to be meeting for the first time on a one-on-one basis offline with the chief,” Saka said.
A central point of contention is a roughly five-hour gap before the public received details from police or elected leaders.
A few hours after the shooting, Seattle police Detective and public information officer Brian Pritchard told reporters there were no updates until dignitaries arrived.
The mayor’s office was asked about the issue multiple times and, including on July 27 during a press conference, said, “It is absolutely not the case.”
On Tuesday, KOMO News obtained an email from Pritchard to his superiors that disputes the mayor’s narrative, saying the claim “It was not delayed while waiting for dignitaries to arrive” is “not accurate.”
Saka said he wants Pritchard to appear before the council.
“So I would like to see the detective at our September 22nd meeting. Our next meeting would have loved to see them there yesterday,” Saka said.
Councilmember Bob Kettle, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, said council members want to hear from Pritchard and expect him at the next hearing.
Kettle also issued a statement and a list of safety concerns Wednesday, ranging from the current security status of major venues and large events to examining patterns of unsolved gun violence involving young people.
“The tragedy that recently unfolded during the Bite of Seattle at Seattle Center on July 26 has underscored the need for a procedural review — beyond the expected ‘After-Action Report,’” said Councilmember Kettle. “With three fatalities, several injuries, and the impact on attendees — indeed, the entire city — we need to identify and discuss the lessons learned at both the operational level (immediate response and the ongoing investigation) and the strategic level. Our constituents, the many diverse communities we collectively serve, are entitled to answers.”
Kettle said council members expected the detective at Tuesday’s hearing, but Pritchard told KOMO News he was never asked to appear.
Among the key questions council members want answered: who knew what, when, and what caused the delays.
Asked whether the five-hour gap was a failure of the police department, the mayor’s office, or both, Saka pointed to leadership issues while saying he wants more information.
“Based off of everything I see in Michelle, that five-hour gap is a substantial failure in leadership. But also based on what I’ve seen, I’m not convinced that that is a failure of the police department. Any one leader within any of the city departments or agencies, it is an abysmal failure. But I do want to see more information,” Saka said.
The next council hearing is Sept. 22, when after-action reports from both police and fire are expected to be completed. Kettle added that the Public Safety Committee expects to hear from both Pritchard and Assistant Chief Troy Davis, who was in charge that night.
KOMO News requested an interview with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s staff to ask about her overall response to the public safety hearing and about the email obtained, written by Pritchard.
Staff said the mayor has referred the case to the Office of Inspector General and that once the review is complete, she will be able to discuss next steps. The review is expected in mid-December.
Saka said the public needs to hear from the mayor “ASAP.”
