Bite of Seattle shooting: Ferguson texts reveal Jayapal’s concerns about news conference

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal questioned whether she and Gov. Bob Ferguson should attend a news conference after the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting, according to text messages released by Ferguson’s office. The shooting left three people dead and four others wounded.

The messages from the night of the shooting include an exchange between Ferguson and Jayapal, who both appeared at a news conference five hours after the shooting alongside Seattle Police and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.

“Checking in to see what you know about the shooting,” Jayapal writes. “Suggested Katie pull us all together with a call with police chief to brief us.”

“I have same info mayor has,” Ferguson responds. “In olympia and packing up to head north. Agree on meeting.”

“I spoke to her,” Jayapal said. “Suggested that if they are doing a public conference, it would be good if we are all there.”

“Agreed,” Ferguson wrote.

Jayapal questions whether to attend news conference

In another exchange, Jayapal questions whether she and Ferguson should attend.

“Give me a ring I’m wondering if we should be there at all. I’m not confident she knows what she is doing,” Jayapal wrote.

“Spoke w mayor,” Ferguson replied. “Asked her to call u directly.”

Jayapal then texts Ferguson that “They’re waiting for both of us,” and that she would be at Seattle Center in 15 minutes.

Jayapal objects to explanation for news conference delay

Jayapal shares with Ferguson a screenshot of a KOMO-TV reporter’s social media post about the Seattle Police spokesperson’s explanation for the delay.

“I’m having Rachel call Brian and say this is outrageous that someone said the delay was because of dignitaries. You may want to have your folks do that also,” she told Ferguson. “We can raise it directly to her also.”

“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,” Jayapal said in a statement Thursday morning. “My text messages with the Governor reflect exactly this approach.”

Jayapal said she was on briefing calls with Mayor Wilson at 8 and 9 p.m. from her 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,” Jayapal stated. “I also believed from those calls that SPD was regularly briefing the public.”

Jayapal said she was notified at 10:10 p.m. that there would be a press conference at Seattle Center. Upon hearing that, she went there, arriving at approximately 10:40 p.m.

“I spoke to the Mayor on my way to the Seattle Center, and she told me they were awaiting our arrival,” Jayapal said. “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,” Jayapal continued. “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.”

“Our office doesn’t have further comment beyond the detailed timeline provided,” Brionna Aho, Gov. Ferguson’s communications director told KIRO Newsradio Thursday morning via email.

“In the two months since the tragedy at the Bite of Seattle Mayor Wilson has stayed focused on strengthening public safety communication practices, releasing a new approach to reducing gun violence, and introducing a balanced budget which invests in public safety and well-being,” a spokesperson for Mayor Wilson told KIRO Newsradio via email Thursday. “The mayor has reflected on that evening’s coordination with other elected officials and moving forward remain committed to increasing safety outcomes for people and working effectively across all levels of government to deliver.”

Seattle assistant police chief says mayor’s office repeatedly asked police to wait

On Sept. 22, Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles and Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis appeared before the City Council’s Public Safety Committee to present findings from the Seattle Police Department’s after-action review of the Bite of Seattle mass shooting.

Davis told the committee that police commanders were ready to brief the public that night but were repeatedly told to wait by the mayor’s office.

“I suggested a couple of alternatives,” Davis told the committee, explaining that he proposed holding a press conference immediately, or holding one then and another when the mayor and other officials arrived. “I was also asked to wait.”

Davis said meetings requested by the mayor’s office compounded the delay and were unnecessary in his view.

“We spent a lot of time talking about the active shooter incident management checklist,” Davis said. “This wasn’t an active shooter incident. I knew that at the time. … That was a waste of time.”

Davis said he and Captain Randy Ward had the scene under control and needed to be left alone to manage it.

The day before Sayles and Davis presented the after-action review to the committee, it was published online.

That day, KIRO Newsradio reached out to the mayor’s office for comment, and received the following statement:

“During emergencies, a goal is streamlined communication between the Mayor’s Office and the Seattle Police Department and the public. We’ve been clear and consistent that strengthening processes to meet that goal is a priority,” said Alex Hudson, Mayor Katie Wilson’s interim press secretary. “Last month, Mayor Wilson and Interim Chief Sayles announced strengthened public safety communication practices for both the Mayor’s Office and the Seattle Police Department to ensure consistent, coordinated communication between the Mayor’s Office and SPD during any significant public safety event.”

“Right now, the mayor is focused on the important work of preventing these kinds of tragedies from happening again and providing healing for the families of the victims and our city,” Hudson continued. “You can see this work in her recently released Gun Violence Plan, and in the investments in prevention, violence intervention, and community supports soon to be released in her proposed 2027 budget.”

To date, a 15-year-old boy is the only person to have been arrested in connection with the shooting. One of the suspected shooters was among those killed that night. There is at least one suspect still at large.

Contributing: Luke Duecy, KIRO Newsradio

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