Mayor Wilson to announce executive order on emergency coordination after Bite of Seattle shooting
Sep 17, 2026, 8:03 AM | Updated: 3:02 pm
Katie Wilson looks out of a window while riding public transit. (Photo courtesy of Katie Wilson's mayoral campaign)
(Photo courtesy of Katie Wilson's mayoral campaign)
Mayor Katie Wilson is expected to announce a new executive order Thursday aimed at strengthening Seattle’s emergency management coordination, preparedness, and planning, nearly two months after the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting exposed problems in the city’s response.
The order is designed to improve coordination and information-sharing among the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle Fire Department as the city prepares for increasingly complex emergencies. Wilson is scheduled to make the announcement at 11:15 a.m. Thursday at the World Trade Center Seattle.
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Internal texts show police leaders confused over who was in command nearly an hour after the shooting
The announcement comes after SPD released pages of internal text messages detailing the department’s response to the July 26 shooting at Seattle Center. Three people were killed, and four others were wounded, including a 2-year-old boy.
The messages show confusion among police leaders about who was in command. At 6:50 p.m., nearly an hour after the shooting, then Chief Shon Barnes texted, “I don’t know who is in charge, but someone needs to assume command.” Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis responded within a minute that he was in charge.
The texts also show police trying to determine whether the shooting was gang-related or terrorism. Later that night, police leaders discussed when to hold a news conference. Messages show the briefing was delayed while officials waited for Wilson and then Gov. Bob Ferguson to arrive.
The city faced criticism for waiting roughly five hours before providing a public briefing about the shooting. Earlier this month, Wilson and interim Police Chief Andre Sayles announced new communication practices calling for media updates within one hour of a significant incident, when it is safe and possible to do so.
Wilson’s executive order Thursday is expected to provide more details about how Seattle’s emergency agencies will coordinate during major incidents.
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