Seattle Defends 5-Hour Delay After 3 Die in Festival Shooting
Updated
Updated · KOMO News · Jul 28
Seattle Defends 5-Hour Delay After 3 Die in Festival Shooting
3 articles · Updated · KOMO News · Jul 28
Summary
Nearly five hours passed before Seattle officials said a second suspected shooter was still at large after Sunday’s Seattle Center shooting killed three people and wounded five others.
Police Chief Shon Barnes said officers prioritized securing the scene and a SWAT search near the IMAX theater, which ended about 15 minutes before the late-night briefing.
An 8:30 p.m. statement from Mayor Katie Wilson’s office had incorrectly said two suspects were in custody; by Monday, police said only a 15-year-old had been detained and no homicide arrests had been made.
AlertSeattle was not activated despite an active search for another gunman, and Wilson and Public Safety Committee Chair Bob Kettle both said they could not clearly explain why.
The city now plans an after-action review of both its emergency response and communications, as vendors and residents question how little safety information reached the public.