Seattle’s democratic socialist mayor is facing a direct call from a top public safety official to take action, after a mass shooting last month at a food festival sent hundreds of visitors running for their lives. 

Seattle City Council Public Safety Chair Bob Kettle has called for Mayor Katie Wilson to offer a comprehensive public safety plan after a mass shooting at the Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle festival on July 26 left three people dead and at least four injured. 

A shootout on Friday morning in West Seattle’s Alki neighborhood, during which no one was harmed but more than 70 shots were fired, has further heightened scrutiny as police revealed nearby public surveillance cameras were not operating at the time.

‘We are at an inflection point, at this point, and partly because it’s not January anymore. We’re well into the start of the mayor’s administration,’ Kettle said in an interview with FOX 13.  

‘We have to have a plan. Right now, we don’t have one on the executive side. We do on the legislative side; by the way, we’ve had it for two and a half years, and we just need to have this comprehensive approach,’ he added. 

The public safety chair’s criticism of Wilson comes amid polling that shows Seattleites giving their mayor a 37 percent favorability rating and a D+ grade on public safety.

It also comes about just one week after Washington Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson condemned the way Wilson handled last month’s mass shooting, and a local couple filed a recall charge against the mayor for being ‘derelict in her duties for public safety of the city of Seattle.’

In response to her latest critique from a fellow official, Wilson assured FOX 13: ‘Public safety is a very, very high priority for my office, and we are working in all areas to make sure that everyone gets home safe at the end of the day.’ 

Seattle’s democratic socialist mayor has been criticized for having no comprehensive public safety plan by one of the city’s top public safety officials

Seattle City Council Public Safety Chair Bob Kettle said there has been a solid public safety plan ‘on the legislative side’ for two and a half years, which just needs to be deployed 

Kettle’s criticism of Wilson came soon after a mass shooting at the Seattle Center on July 26 that left three people dead and at least four injured

Wilson has been criticized for the way she handled the shooting by both Kettle and the governor of Washington. Heavily armed officers are pictured at the scene of the shooting

‘Ultimately, I’m going to be judged by my results, and I’m looking forward to that. You know, we are working hard on many fronts,’ she added. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Seattle Mayor’s Office for further comment.  

Seattle’s Office of the Inspector General is conducting an independent review of Wilson’s administration and the city’s response to the recent mass shooting, according to Kettle. 

He emphasized that the investigation is not just focused on the Seattle Police Department, but also the Mayor’s Office and other city agencies including the Office of Emergency Management. 

Wilson was criticized by Washington’s governor for her response to July’s mass shooting when he shared a post from journalist Ari Hoffman, which reported that when a Zoom call was hastily convened for state leaders in the aftermath of the tragedy, Wilson refused to turn on her camera or speak.

Hoffman said when he made a Freedom of Information Act request for records of the call, Ferguson’s office claimed that it does not have a recording. Ferguson’s own account then re-shared the post that criticized Wilson’s antics. 

Ferguson’s account appeared to go on to delete the post re-sharing Hoffman’s report.

Beyond concerns over public safety in Seattle, Wilson has also been criticized for her inexperience, difficulty handling the city’s homelessness crisis and anti-business stances.

Beyond public safety, Wilson has also been criticized for her difficulty handling Seattle’s homelessness crisis. A homeless encampment in front of the iconic Space Needle is pictured 

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson reposted a tweet that reported Wilson refused to turn on her camera or speak during a Zoom meeting for state officials after the mass shooting

Business leaders have blasted the mayor over her calls to introduce a wealth tax and introduce new business taxes in her city.

Early in her tenure, Wilson came under fire for her flippant response when asked at a town hall if she feared these stances could drive wealth and entrepreneurship away from Seattle.

Wilson said such concerns would be ‘overblown’, and added, ‘And to the ones that leave, “bye!”‘ as she waved her right hand.

Her approach has led to fears that Seattle’s long history as a business hub, including being the birthplace of Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon, may come to an end.