The Brief
- Seattle police released internal messages from department leaders detailing their response to the deadly July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting.
- Messages show the Mayor’s Office asked police to wait for Mayor Katie Wilson before a planned media briefing.
- Former Chief Shon Barnes’ messages have not yet been released, and the City Council plans to continue reviewing the response.
SEATTLE – The Seattle Police Department has released text messages detailing the internal communications between police leadership during the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting, explaining the five-hour delay in public safety updates.
The texts are from nine department leaders, starting just before initial reports of the July 26 shooting. The records include messages from the following personnel:
- Interim Chief Andre Sayles
- Deputy Chief Yvonne Underwood
- Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis
- Assistant Chief Nicole Powell
- Chief Operations Officer Sarah Smith
- Captain George Davisson
- Jennifer Sullivan
- Lieutenant Sage Farwell
- Detective Brian Pritchard
Text messages from former Seattle police Chief Shon Barnes were not released. The department said it will provide the former chief’s communications once they are recovered from his account.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 26: Police officers keep watch after a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival on July 26, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. Two people are dead and multiple people are wounded. Seattle mayor Katie Wilson said one sus (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
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