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Seattle Leaders Pressed Over Five‑Hour Delay After Deadly Bite of Seattle Shooting

An OIG after-action review will examine the delay in public briefings to guide changes to city communication and incident coordination.

Overview

  • A gunfight at the Bite of Seattle food festival on July 26 left three people dead and several others wounded, including a toddler, and triggered a multiagency criminal investigation.
  • Seattle police have detained a 15-year-old suspect while detectives continue to process warrants, review surveillance and say at least one other suspect may remain at large.
  • Council members demanded answers at a Public Safety Committee hearing after officials waited roughly five hours before giving a substantive public briefing that clarified there was no lone mass shooter on the loose.
  • Internal SPD emails from on-scene detective Brian Pritchard say briefings were delayed while waiting for visiting 'dignitaries,' a claim city leaders have disputed and that has heightened calls for accountability.
  • Mayor Katie Wilson has ordered the Office of Inspector General to conduct an independent after-action review, interim Chief Andre Sayles has pledged cooperation, and the council has scheduled follow-up oversight for September 22.