Bite of Seattle shooting report reveals elected officials distracted police from getting information out

A finding in the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) after-action report on the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting confirms officials distracted officers from getting information out.

“Senior and elected officials distracted sworn staff from completing timely public safety information and on-scene decision-making,” the report stated.

The first press briefing did not happen until five hours after the shooting, a delay for which both SPD and the mayor’s office have been criticized. The report also noted two internal briefings took place before the first public briefing.

Report calls for changes to public safety communications

Among the report’s “Suggested Personnel and Equipment Upgrades” is pre-designating an on-scene public information officer “with standing public-safety-alert authority.”

The report also called on the city to “separate the acting chief’s tactical role from mayor’s office liaison duties.”

“A strong tactical response does not automatically produce a fast public information response,” the report stated. “The two need separate planning and resourcing.”

The report called for a “pre-authorized drone protocol for mass casualty incidents and active-suspect scenarios,” as well as an expansion of the bike/perimeter squad beyond eight officers.

Officers took a shooter into custody within 20–30 seconds

The report praised officers for their fast response, running toward the gunfire and taking a shooter into custody within 20 to 30 seconds of the shooting.

Police safely evacuated thousands of people without any of those evacuees being injured in the process, according to the report. SWAT and patrol officers also methodically searched the IMAX theater after receiving information that a potential person of interest had run toward it.

Three people died, and four others were wounded in the shooting. A 15-year-old boy is in custody, and at least one more suspect remains at large.

Bite of Seattle staffing and budget constraints

The report also addresses staffing levels for the event and budget constraints.

“Seven supervisors and roughly 25–29 officers covered an event where thousands of people attended,” it stated. “Saturday staffing was reduced specifically to cover the citywide Torchlight Parade, showing a finite overtime pool spread across simultaneous major events.”

The report concluded that officers positioned close to the crowd stopped the threat in seconds and evacuated thousands to safety.

“The gaps identified here — aerial support policy and public information timing — sit downstream of that response,” it added. “Addressing the personnel, equipment, and budget items in this report will help the rest of the organization move with the same speed and discipline the officers on the ground already showed on July 26.”

“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.”

Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles and Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis are scheduled to present the after-action report at Tuesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting at 9:30 a.m.

Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.

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