Newly released public records show U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal privately told Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson that Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson doesn’t know what she is doing, in the chaotic hours following the July 26 triple-fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival. The Center Square obtained the records, which reveal a behind-the-scenes scramble among Democratic officials that night, even as the public waited for basic information about a mass casualty event.
At 10:12 p.m. the night of the shooting, Jayapal messaged Ferguson, writing, “I’m wondering if we should be there at all. I don’t think she knows what she is doing.” The remark followed a confusing chain of events in which a scheduled press briefing was delayed, reorganized across multiple Zoom and Teams meetings, and ultimately held late that night after Wilson’s office informed Ferguson at 10:05 p.m. that a press conference would take place.
Politicians, Cameras, and a City Left Waiting
The confusion was not entirely private. At 10:35 p.m., KOMO News reporter Jeremy Harris posted on X that the police press update was being postponed again because “dignitaries” wanted to be present. “The public is being told to wait for information about a mass shooting outside a press conference because politicians want to make sure they’re here when cameras roll,” Harris wrote. Records show Jayapal sent Harris’ post to Ferguson the following day, calling the accusation “outrageous.” That’s a remarkable response from someone whose own texts that same evening were questioning whether the mayor was competent to run the event in question.
According to the records, Jayapal had earlier messaged Ferguson that she “suggested to her (Wilson) that if they are doing a press conference, it would be good if we were all there.” Ferguson replied, “Agree.” Minutes after Jayapal questioned Wilson’s competence, Ferguson texted Wilson asking her to “Pls call,” then told Jayapal, “Spoke w mayor. Asked her to call u directly.” Jayapal replied, “They’re waiting for both us. I will be there in 15 minutes.” You can follow Bite of Seattle shooting response for the full documentary record.
Wilson’s Office Sidesteps the Competence Question
Then-Police Chief Shon Barnes flew in from Dallas that night to attend the press conference, which included a verbal confrontation with a local reporter. Barnes resigned days later at Wilson’s request. Wilson also apologized for the slow response and the administration’s handling of communications after the shooting.
Wilson’s Interim Press Secretary Alex Hudson offered a statement to The Center Square that did not address Jayapal’s remarks about the mayor’s competence. “In the two months since the tragedy at the Bite of Seattle Mayor Wilson has stayed focused on strengthening public safety communication practices, releasing a new approach to reducing gun violence, and introducing a balanced budget which invests in public safety and well-being,” Hudson wrote. Ferguson’s office said it had “no further comment beyond the detailed timeline provided.”
Jayapal, for her part, issued a news release casting her text messages in a flattering light. “My text messages with the Governor reflect exactly this approach,” she wrote, describing her approach as briefing the public quickly, convening elected officials, and being visibly present. Taxpayers might reasonably ask whether coordinating camera appearances and questioning a mayor’s competence in private, while calling a reporter’s accurate observations “outrageous,” is really the gold standard in crisis leadership. For Americans watching Democratic-run cities struggle to respond to violent crime, this episode is a window into exactly how that management works, or doesn’t.
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that the voters in Seattle don’t know what they’re doing either.
