Seattle detective disputes city’s account of post-shooting press briefing
Detective Brian Pritchard said the city’s explanation for delaying a press briefing after the July 26 shooting was inaccurate, prompting a heated City Council hearing and a call for an independent investigation.
Detective Brian Pritchard, who led the Seattle Police Department’s on-site public response to the July 26 shooting at Seattle Center, told reporters the city delayed releasing information until "dignitaries" arrived. In an email to superiors dated July 28, Pritchard said the claim that the briefing was postponed for dignitaries was "not accurate" and warned it damaged his credibility with media contacts.
The shooting left three dead and four injured, including a child. Police have arrested a 15-year-old suspect but have not filed murder charges, and interim Police Chief Andre Sayles said the shooter may still be at large.
Mayor Katie Wilson and former Police Chief Shon Barnes denied that anyone was instructed to hold off a press briefing. Both Governor Bob Ferguson and Representative Pramila Jayapal attended a press conference the night of the shooting and again the following day. Wilson later asked Barnes to resign.
Pritchard’s email became a focal point during a nearly two-hour City Council hearing on the Public Safety committee’s review of the incident and the city’s communication. Councilmember Debora Juarez questioned why the briefing was delayed and criticized the mayor’s office for inadequate communication, while Director of Public Safety Alison Holcomb said the mayor had ordered an independent investigation by the Office of Inspector General (OIG).
Councilmembers Dan Strauss and Bob Kettle also pressed officials on who decided to postpone the briefing and highlighted broader concerns about information sharing between the mayor’s office and the council. Holcomb told reporters the OIG investigation would examine the multiple agencies involved, and she said she was not aware of any direct order from the mayor to delay the briefing.
A mayoral spokesperson said Wilson participated in virtual calls from home on the night of the shooting, but technical issues prevented her camera from turning on. The council scheduled a follow-up hearing for September 22, and the OIG review is expected to take several weeks or months.