Seattle police detail what did and didn’t work during response to Bite of Seattle shooting
Sep 22, 2026, 11:44 AM
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Seattle police officials detailed what they said went right and wrong in the city’s response to the deadly gang-related mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle this summer.
During a public briefing Tuesday morning to city council, officials presented a 17-slide review of the department’s response to the July 26 shooting at Seattle Center.
Three people died, and four others were hurt.
The violence erupted when multiple people began shooting at each other during the festival. The incident sparked widespread criticism in the weeks that followed, particularly over how authorities communicated information to the public.
KIRO 7 obtained a copy of the presentation. Part of the review highlights the lag in communication to the public. Internal messages released from the department last week showed that there was nearly a five-hour gap between when the shooting took place and when information was released.
The review also identified inconsistencies in early casualty data and a lack of personnel at the scene that, according to the department, made it difficult for incident commanders to effectively manage the response.
Police officials attributed some of those challenges to staffing and budget limitations. The presentation notes that resources were stretched after officers had worked the Seafair Torchlight Parade the night before the shooting.
Despite those issues, officials said several aspects of the response were successful.
According to the review, officers took a suspected shooter into custody within 30 seconds of shots being fired. Police also cited the rapid evacuation of festival attendees and the immediate establishment of incident command as key successes during the chaotic situation.
As part of the lessons learned, Seattle police are considering several changes to improve future responses to mass casualty incidents and active shooter events.
Those recommendations include:
- Establishing a dedicated public information officer with authority to quickly release information to the media and public.
- Separating the roles and responsibilities of the mayor’s office and police leadership during major incidents.
- Pre-authorizing drone support for mass casualty and active shooter situations.
- Developing separate plans and resources for tactical response operations and public communications.
- Expanding planning efforts to address a range of potential threats, from large fights to active shooter scenarios.
- Creating a more reliable process for confirming casualty numbers before providing information to the public.
- Officials said the review is intended to ensure the department is better prepared for future emergencies and to address concerns raised in the aftermath of the shooting.
The investigation into the deadly shooting remains ongoing.
At last report, Seattle police said at least three suspects were involved. One suspect was arrested, another was shot and killed, and a third suspect remained at large. Officials were expected to provide an update on the search during Tuesday’s meeting.
