A gang-related shooting at Seattle's Bite of Seattle festival on 26 July left three people dead and four injured, forcing thousands to flee. Although police arrested a suspect within 30 seconds and swiftly secured the area, the public was not informed until an 11pm press conference—a five-hour delay that left the city anxious. This delay has become controversial after police contradicted the mayor's office account of who was responsible for the information blackout.

Assistant Police Chief Tyrone Davis told the city council that he was prepared to brief reporters at 7:30pm, approximately 90 minutes after the shooting, but was instructed not to speak with the media without Mayor Katie Wilson present. The information Davis would have disclosed at 7:30pm was identical to what was eventually shared at 11pm, when Wilson appeared flanked by state and federal officials. Mayor Wilson's office initially blamed the police department for the delay and dismissed Police Chief Shon Barnes with a $700,000 severance package, though Wilson later acknowledged responsibility for a one-hour portion of the delay whilst remaining evasive about the earlier gaps.