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Seattle police hold conference to address violent weekend in Belltown
A violent 24-hour stretch in Seattle left three people dead and three others injured following three separate shooting incidents in and around the Belltown neighborhood. The Seattle Police Department is actively investigating each incident as the city faces another surge in gun violence. Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles confirmed that detectives consider the shootings separate and unrelated, adding that none appear to be connected to a recent shooting at the Bite of Seattle.
SEATTLE - The Seattle Police Department expects to release internal records and text messages detailing its emergency response to the Bite of Seattle shooting by the end of this week, according to Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles.
"We, actually on Friday, were working through our own collection of our text messages, Teams messages, and so forth. I think, hopefully by this week, the end of this week, we should have our information released out to the media that put in those public disclosure requests," Sayles told FOX 13 News on Monday.
Ensuring an Accurate Timeline
Big picture view:
The upcoming release follows the disclosure of selected text and Microsoft Teams messages by Mayor Katie Wilson’s office late Friday.
Chief Sayles emphasized that his priority is providing a fully comprehensive overview of the department's internal communications.
"My biggest thing is I want to make sure we have all the information," Sayles said. "I don't want it to be where we put out information and then there's three or four people's text messages missing."
Sayles noted that he has not yet reviewed all the records released by the mayor's office due to a busy weekend for the department. His goal is to cross-examine city communications with SPD's internal records to verify the timeline from the night of the incident.
Addressing other recent crimes, Sayles confirmed that three separate weekend shootings in Belltown are not connected to the Bite of Seattle violence.
Seattle police address Belltown shootings that left 3 dead, 3 injured
The Seattle Police Department is actively investigating each incident as the city faces another surge in gun violence. Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles confirmed that detectives consider the shootings separate and unrelated.
Investigation and Video Review
What they're saying:
Detectives are actively reviewing roughly 450 hours of video footage to piece together the events surrounding the Bite of Seattle incident. Sayles did not offer a specific timeline for when new suspect details will be released, though he expressed hope for upcoming arrests.
Council Scrutiny and Communication Delays
Meanwhile, members of the Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee are seeking answers regarding why the public experienced a nearly five-hour delay for critical safety information following the July 26 shooting.
Public Safety Chair Bob Kettle and Councilmember Debora Juarez have repeatedly requested insights from Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis and Det. Brian Pritchard.
Neither official attended the committee's Aug. 11 meeting.
Internal Frustration and Officer Wellness
In an internal SPD email obtained by FOX 13 News, Det. Pritchard cited internal frustration over inaccurate messaging about delayed press briefings. He also requested vacation time running through Aug. 3 to "decompress after the Seattle Center shooting incident," writing that he was struggling with official messaging following the July 26 briefing.
"It was discussed during several team briefings on scene that we were waiting for dignitaries to arrive before proceeding with the briefing, which was accurately communicated to our media partners," Det. Pritchard wrote.
He noted that subsequent statements incorrectly claimed the briefing was not delayed for dignitaries.
"This is not accurate. And the conflicting information impacts my credibility with my media colleagues," Pritchard wrote, adding that the time away would allow him to "reset, recharge, and come back focused and ready to move forward."
Looking Ahead to Committee Testimony
What's next:
Questions remain as to whether Det. Pritchard will attend the committee’s next scheduled meeting on Sept. 22. Chief Sayles cited officer wellness concerns regarding the email Pritchard sent about the situation.
"My biggest thing with Det. Pritchard is Det. Pritchard put out a very personal email in regards to some of the things that he was struggling with in regards to the portrayal of what happened on that day," Sayles said. "Me, personally, that's a wellness thing for me. I want to make sure that Det. Pritchard, his personal information, his personal things that he talked about in email is protected. So, I haven't made that determination yet."
Sayles added that he will speak directly with the detective before making a final decision on his attendance.
"I will talk to Det. Pritchard, but I think the biggest thing that we need to focus on is myself and, at the time, Acting Chief of Police Tyrone Davis being there and going through our timeline and what happened on the Seattle Police Department side," Sayles said. "When I talk to Det. Pritchard and he gives me the thumbs up and he's willing to be there, I'll have Det. Pritchard there. But it's a conversation that him and I are going to have. I want to make sure that he's willing to be there. I don't want to force him to do that. But once he says, 'Chief, I'm ready to go,' I'll be there standing right next to him."
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Dan Griffin, who attended a news conference held by Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles. At the conference, Sayles said he would release the internal records and text messages regarding the Bite of Seattle shooting.
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