SEATTLE — A newly obtained voicemail is adding to the dispute over who asked Seattle police to delay a public briefing after a gang-related mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle in July.
The voicemail was left by Alison Holcomb, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s director of public safety, for Seattle Police Department (SPD) communications officer Brian Pritchard.
KIRO Newsradio obtained the recording through a public disclosure request. Here’s the voicemail Holcomb left Pritchard, who was the SPD public information officer on the scene at Seattle Center that night.
“Hello, Detective Pritchard. This is Alison Holcomb, Director of Public Safety in the Mayor’s Office … I wanted to call you and let you know that the mayor is on her way … So if you could please hold on the 9:45 availability until the mayor is able to join you, that would be great,” Holcomb said.
SPD Assistant Chief Tyrone Davis has said Deputy Mayor Brian Surratt told him multiple times to hold off on briefing the public after the shooting. Wilson has adamantly denied that claim. She has not said whether anyone else in her office asked police to delay the briefing.
KIRO Newsradio reached out to the mayor’s office for comment but has not received a response at the time of publication.
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