‘Information could have gone out faster’: Mayor Wilson addresses 5-hour delay after mass shooting

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson addresses the public in a video on Instagram. (Photo courtesy of Mayor Wilson) SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson addressed the five-hour information delay from the city following a gang-related mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle on Sunday. In an Instagram video Thursday, Wilson said an after-action review found major communication gaps. “Information could and should have gone out much faster through social media, the emergency alert system, the SPD blotter, and/or an off-site press conference,” she said. Wilson noted the public should have heard sooner about outstanding suspects and the status of Seattle Center. “We will be working with SPD to ensure that communications go out much sooner in the future should anything like this happen again,” she said. He launched initiatives to bring the department closer to the communities it serves, including a neighborhood resource officer program and a monthly community conversation series. Read her stories here .

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Scoop News DeskSeattle, Washington · Published Friday, July 31, 2026 at 2:08 AM UTCUpdated Friday, July 31, 2026 at 8:16 AM UTC

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This includes updated SPD protocols for communicating with the media and the public, clearer coordination between departments, and stronger communication channels between my office and SPD.” Wilson also addressed Barnes’ departure in her video, largely echoing the statement her office released earlier Thursday. “Chief Barnes came to Seattle with a genuine belief in community policing as a philosophy,” she said. “He arrived with a clear vision of what a department grounded in trust and accountability could look like.

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