Texts reveal debate inside Seattle City Hall after Bite shooting

To stream KGW on your phone, you need the KGW app. Example video title will go here for this video SEATTLE — Newly released internal communications show Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and her staff debating how and when to respond publicly in the hours after the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting, as city officials struggled to provide information about what was happening at Seattle Center. The July 26 shooting outside the Seattle Center Armory left three people dead and several others injured. The first press conference did not begin until nearly five hours after the shooting. The records show an hourslong debate over whether Wilson should go to the scene, concerns about how her absence would be perceived and questions about when the city would provide information to the public.

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Scoop News DeskSeattle, Washington · Published Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 3:28 AM UTCUpdated Monday, September 7, 2026 at 7:14 AM UTC

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Former State Sen. and KING 5 political analyst Reuven Carlyle explained that the internal debate over whether Wilson should appear at Seattle Center was clear in the messages, but he called the apparent lack of established procedures and operational structure between the Mayor’s Office and SPD “definitely concerning, and a real problem.” In a statement to KING 5, mayoral spokesperson Dawn Schellenberg said: “We’re committed to clear, transparent communications between our office and SPD. Wilson told staff the statement looked good but was “very general” and would not satisfy people looking for “actual information.” The statement initially included incorrect information indicating two suspects were in custody.

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