Mayor Katie Wilson denies Deputy Mayor delayed police briefing
Mayor disputes claims in Bite of Seattle response delays
For the first time, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is disputing claims that her deputy mayor delayed police from holding a press conference after a mass shooting during the Bite of Seattle food festival.
SEATTLE - Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is pushing back against claims that her administration delayed a police press conference following the deadly Bite of Seattle shooting.
Speaking on camera about the allegations for the first time, Wilson defended Deputy Mayor Brian Surratt and questioned the accuracy of accounts provided by the Seattle Police Department.
Seattle police claim public briefing was held up
What they're saying:
More than two months after the shooting, suspects are still at large and details remain unclear. The public waited nearly five hours after the shooting occurred to receive an official safety update from police.
During a Seattle City Council meeting last month, SPD Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis stated that officers were prepared to conduct a public briefing an hour and a half after the incident occurred. Davis testified that Deputy Mayor Surratt repeatedly instructed police to hold off, so the mayor could be present.
"I did talk to the Deputy Mayor, just to kind of let him know as a courtesy, we're going to go down and conduct the interview and then, I was told we needed to wait for the mayor," Davis told councilmembers.
Davis added that the information released during the eventual 11 p.m. press conference was identical to what officers were prepared to share at 7:30 p.m.
Interim Seattle Police Chief Andre Sayles addresses the City Council. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Seattle Mayor points to Inspector General probe
The other side:
On Monday at an unrelated press event, Mayor Wilson denied that her deputy mayor instructed officers to wait.
"My deputy mayor did not do that, and this is why we have asked the Office of the Inspector General to do a full look at communications that night, so that we're not going by people's memories," Wilson said.
What's next:
While Wilson has promised to establish improved communication protocols moving forward, the conflicting accounts highlight an ongoing disconnect between City Hall and the police department.
Seattle Police confirmed they are fully cooperating with the Office of the Inspector General's investigation.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Dan Griffin.